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

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8 years ago

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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.

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Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

21 hours ago

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July 26, 2026

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Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

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Assam flood death toll rises to 66, over 6.5 lakh people still affected

Assam’s flood situation improved slightly on Saturday, but more than 6.54 lakh people remain affected in six districts. Four fresh deaths have pushed the state’s flood toll to 66.

Published

21 hours ago

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July 26, 2026

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Assam floods

The flood situation in Assam showed marginal improvement on Saturday, though the disaster continued to impact more than 6.54 lakh people across six districts. Four more deaths were reported during the day, taking the total number of fatalities in this year’s floods to 66.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three of the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, while one person lost their life in Charaideo.

The number of affected people declined from over 7.05 lakh across nine districts on Friday to 6,54,800 across six districts on Saturday, indicating a gradual improvement in the overall situation.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected districts, Sivasagar continues to be the worst hit, with nearly 2.9 lakh people impacted by the floods. Charaideo follows with around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people remain affected in Jorhat.

The other districts still facing flood-related challenges are Dibrugarh, Golaghat and Nagaon.

Relief operations continue across affected areas

The ASDMA said the state administration is operating 274 relief camps and aid distribution centres across the affected districts. Around 18,902 displaced people are currently taking shelter at these facilities.

The latest daily bulletin also stated that floodwaters have inundated 810 villages across the state, while 34,970.8 hectares of agricultural land have suffered damage.

Rivers flowing above danger level

The floods have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several areas.

Authorities said the Dikhou River in Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level, and officials continue to closely monitor the situation.

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UP Government forms new SIT led by 3 IPS officers to probe Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a new SIT led by three IPS officers to investigate the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya following Supreme Court directions.

Published

22 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

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Ram Mandir

The Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG Kiran S, with DIG Somen Verma and SSP Dr Gaurav Grover as members, to investigate the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The move comes after directions from the Supreme Court, which sought a reconstituted investigation team to ensure an independent and comprehensive probe into the allegations.

The newly formed SIT is expected to continue the investigation and submit a status report before the Supreme Court on July 27.

Senior IPS officers to lead the probe

According to the state government, the investigation will now be supervised by senior IPS officers.  The revamped SIT has been tasked with examining all aspects of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations and carrying the investigation forward.

The Supreme Court had observed that criminal investigations and technical examination of theft-related cases are more effectively handled by experienced police officers, leading to the reconstitution of the SIT under senior IPS leadership.

Probe to continue under court supervision

The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) donated by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation and will review the SIT’s status report at the next hearing.

Authorities are expected to continue examining evidence collected during the earlier stages of the investigation as the newly constituted SIT proceeds with the case.

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