Sep 15: The UPA government at the centre has withdrawn its affidavits in Supreme Court on Sethusamudram Project .Centre has asked three months time for filing another affidavit.
The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project proposes dredging of Adam Bridge to reduce the distance between east and west coast. Conceived in 1860 by Alfred Dundas Taylor, it was revived during NDA regime and again after several reports UPA finally announced the inauguration of this project.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balkrishnan, said that the August 31 interim order putting on hold the construction in Rama Setu area will continue.
The Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said that UPA would examine the entire project afresh, keeping in mind alternative suggestion in three month time.
"I have taken instructions from the Government at the highest level," Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam told the Bench which included Justice R V Raveendran.
Congress is facing lot of opposition from its supporters for back-tracking, the DMK supremo Karunanidhi said,``We care more for self respect than for the government” and categorically stated that the Centre’s decision to eliminate crucial aspects of the affidavit that questioned the existence of Lord Rama could not be accepted.
Karunanidhi added, `` we were brought up in the ways of Periyar and his principles of self respect”, and quoted former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as saying, ``Lord Rama was only a fictional character in a dramatized Aryan- Dravidian struggle.”
Two ASI official Bakshi and Chandrashekhar were suspended following the enquiry conducted by ASI Director-General A. Vaish, One of the officer was at Director Level dealing with the matter on behalf of central government, while other was responsible for amending the final draft of the affidavit.
An enquiry was ordered and approved by the secretary of the Union Culture Ministry Ambika Soni.
Sonia Gandi intervened to stop the further damage due to the affidavit, which said that there is no historical evidence to support that Ram existed.
The decision came when Oppossition condemned Congress and asked for apology for disputing Ram’s historicity.
Debate over Ram Sethu: Natural or Man made?
The survey conducted by Geological survey of India said the Sethu was a natural one, some studies claimed that carbon dating roughly matches the Epic of Ramayana and the formation of bridge and it is a result of long shore drifting current.
NASA too has clarified that it is a natural formation, earlier some website came out with the claim that NASA has supported with the studies that it is man made.
While Dr. Badrinarayanan former director of Geological Survey of India said that it is not a natural formation and said, "Such a natural formation is impossible. Unless somebody has transported them and dumped them there, those reefs could not have come there. Some boulders were so light that they could float on water.”
Environmental organizations and NGO's such as MANITHAM India, Eco Law, EFL, Green Peace movement are have taken the initiatives to know the impacts of the Sethusamudram canal projects.
It was appealed to UN secretary by Manitham in 2005 "...the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP), will undoubtedly change the face of the earth in two countries and might exacerbate the possibility of sudden natural disasters such as Tsunamis, Tidal waves or Cyclones.
“We Manitham working for promoting human rights and protecting environment, feel that this is a mega project and want to ascertain whether in constructing the canal there would be any geological, oceanographic and environmental changes, as well as any land subsidence. Therefore, we decided to fully explore independently, the environmental impact due to SSCP”.
Asian Development Bank had urged to preserve the legendary Ram Sethu as it acted as barrier during tsunami.
Many environmentalists says that dredging of the canal may bring natural disaster, tidal waves, and cyclone also that where this dredged material will be disposed of.
There may be other side effects such as rise in temperature and marine pollution.
Issue on Ram’s existence?
There is no history to support Ram’s existence but can the evidence bring the impact and negate his presence on the peoples mind that believe Ram as a part of their life.
But some body will get benefits. It is again the crufty ,vulpine politician who will play the game and bring the nation to a jolt.
Again a rift will be created between majority and minorities… by giving it communal colour.
Who will suffer a common man….who wants basic amenities and facilities to live a decent life…
Have we ever heard of a politician dying in the process that takes up such issues and inflate it unproportionately and incite people to go uncontrolled…
No…
As Hurriyat who turn up against the government and asked that it has no right to question or interfere with their religious heritage …. or cast aspersions on the religious believes or shrines of millions of devout as “ FAITH NEEDS NO PROOF!”
Let’s see if this issue will be kept away from the politics of religion.
Common people should not let this politician to encash on this issue.
|
|
Comments:
Kohinoor Bhattacharyya
September 21, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Sreenivas
September 18, 2007 at 12:00 AMPeople say that there is no character as Rama saying that there is no evidence. They also say that the Rama bridge is just a coincidence. Doesnt it sound funny, How can there be such a coincidence. The same thing goes with dwaraka which was searched by reading Mahabharata and discovered under the beds of Arabian sea as it is mentioned in the great epic- Coincidence. I just cant understand how can there be such a coincidene. Also there are more archealogical proofs about the existance of Rama and Krishna than Jesus and Mohammad but no one will question the latter because of the vote bank. Also, while understanding religion one should take the help of scriptures but not own interpretations.
fusion
September 15, 2007 at 12:00 AMAs i liberal hindu, i have never really felt the need to defend my religion or my beleifs with or without ram sethu or even the ayodhya temple. as a south indian i have never been close to ram and i am educated enough to understand that ram sethu is nothing but a natural formation. for that matter although my beleif is strong in the gods of my choice i know very well that almost all of the gods of hinduism are fictional characters. but the essence of hinduism is unmatched by any religion so far imagined or created. the reason is that there is no center point of faith in hindu dharma. hinduism has never been an organized religion. for that matter it is not a religon at all. it was just the way of life of our ancestors who settled on the banks of river sindhu and the values they upheld. it has always been subject to change. it has modernized itself. it has ironed out its flaws. it has given new dimensions to free thought. for this reason, i feel that the real hindu leaders like swami vivekananda, ramkrishna paramhans, or shirdi saibaba would never have agitated or asked anybody to agitate for reasons such as ram sethu. this way hinduism will stand the test of time as our gods are not tangible or political instruments but they live in our hearts forever.
KISHAN CHOWDHARY
September 15, 2007 at 12:00 AMThe Govt. of our India has calculated that some 21000 crores of rupees will be saved in the form of transportation charges in future if the so called Ram Sethu is going to be dredged out but the question is that whether it has been calculated the future costs of Tsunami or such other disasters may be the resultants?
AKS
September 15, 2007 at 12:00 AMDear sir,
Islam is about 1400 years old, Christianity is 1700 years old etc. but Hinduism is more than 1750000 years old.Hence others may have insecurity feelings but Hindu should not.
How india should expect from others to protect Rama Setu and Rama who are not follower of Rama.
We should not have any grevinces with others but should understand.
Regards.
AKS
'Sanatan Dharma' this is the true name of what is know as Hinduism today. Whether Ram exist or not? if it could be proved by some textual confirmation or some inscription on walls or somewhere eles than also i think confusion over his existence would not have ceased. As a famous Bengali devotional song says that "SARA JIBON GHURE BERAO KASHI BRINDABONE, PREMER THAKUR LUKIYE HASE BOSE TOMER MONE" which means entire life you roam about in many devotional places lke Kasi and Brindaban but you fail to realise that your God of eternal love and bliss smiles sitting in your heart.
Same is the case here to know Ram we do not need to go through scriptures or seek for him around te globe but all we need is a devotional heart (Bhakti). As Bhagad-Gita says "Shradhayaban lavate jyayanam" so if Ram is 'Jyayan' that is Knowledge than only a devoted person will be able to know him.
One just by mere words can not make the other feel the taste of suger, who has never tasted it before. so in the same way by arguements the existence of God cannot be proved.
About the existence of Ram or Ram sethu till taday enough work has not been done to reach to a conclusion. When such a issue which is attached with the sentiments of such large number of people, politicians and other must weigh their views 100 times before expressing them, as they can attract legal actions.
Ramkrishna Paramhansadev has said that once a salt doll went to measure the ocean it never returned, it mearged into the ocean.