English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Will not touch Ram Setu, to explore alternate route for Sethusamudram Canal project: Centre to SC

Published

on

Will not touch Ram Setu, to explore alternate route for Sethusamudram Canal project: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that, in the “interest of the nation”, it will explore alternate routes for Sethusamudram Ship Channel project so that Ram Setu, the 50-km-long the chain of limestone shoals between India and Sri Lanka which holds religious significance for Hindus, is not touched.

In an affidavit filed as a response to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea, the government said: “The Government of India intends to explore an alternative to the earlier alignment of Sethusamudram Ship Channel project without affecting or damaging the Adam’s bridge/Ram Sethu in the interest of the nation.”

The government said cutting a route through the Ram Sethu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, would be a cause of “socio-economic disadvantage”.

This is part of a one-page affidavit filed by the Shipping Ministry almost four years after the Supreme Court asked the government to ‘come clean’ on the choice of the project’s route and whether it would damage the Ram Sethu.

Under the Sethusamudram project, a 83-km-long deep water channel would have been created linking Mannar with Palk Strait by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals which constitute the Setu.

Swamy had filed a PIL against the Centre’s Sethusamudram Canal project and had sought that the Centre be directed to ‘not touch’ the mythological Ram Setu bridge.

The Union Ministry of Shipping requested the bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, to dispose of Swamy’s plea by taking note of the stand taken by the ministry in the affidavit.

The Supreme Court, in November last year, had granted time to the centre to spell out whether it has taken a stand to cut through Ram Setu for the Sethusamudram project.

The Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge is a continuous stretch of limestone shoals that runs from Pamban Island near Rameshwaram in South India to Mannar Island off the northern coast of Sri Lanka. These marine structures, between the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, have been at the centre of controversy especially since the Sethusamudram shipping canal project.

According to Hindu mythology, the Ram Sethu was built by Lord Ram with help from an army of monkeys, to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, described in the epic Ramayana.

In November, during proceedings in the petition filed by Swamy, the Supreme Court had asked the centre to clarify whether it wants to remove the Ram Setu, connecting the Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu with Mannar Island in Sri Lanka, or protect it. Swamy had later told the media that he would “get the Namo [Narendra Modi] government” to tell the court that it would not touch the Ram Setu and instead give the structure a national heritage status, reported India Legal.

According to Hindu mythology and the epic Ramayana, Ram Setu is the bridge that was built by an army of monkeys (the vanara sena) to help Lord Rama and his warriors cross over to Lanka to rescue Sita from the demon king Ravana.

In 2005, during the first term of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA regime, a massive controversy had broken out when the government proposed the Setusamudram shipping canal project, said the India Legal report. The project required dredging in the region that the Ram Setu passes through. Predictably, several right-wing Hindu groups, the RSS and its progeny the BJP, had come out in protest against the proposed canal project, arguing that the Congress-led government wanted to destroy an ancient bridge that was built under instruction of Lord Rama and was thus dear to the country’s majority Hindu population.

The project was challenged before the Supreme Court in 2005. In 2007, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) filed an affidavit before the top court asserting that Lord Ram was a mythical character and that the Ramayana had no historical basis, thereby implying that claims that the Ram Setu was built on instructions of the Hindu God were unsubstantiated and had no basis in history. The ASI affidavit had triggered an outrage among the Hindu right, something that the BJP relentlessly used to attack the then Congress-led ruling coalition and also disrupt parliamentary proceedings.

Under pressure from the BJP-led Opposition, the UPA government was later forced to withdraw the affidavit filed by the ASI.

Recently the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, which has representatives from key NDA constituents, discussed the future of the Setusamudram project. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussed various aspects related to the project which envisages dredging a channel across the Palk Strait to provide a shorter navigational route from the east and west coasts of India instead of circumventing Sri Lanka.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

Published

on

Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

Continue Reading

India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

Published

on

Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

Published

on

Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com