Can Ram Sethu be declared a monument, asks SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday  asked the Centre to explore the possibility of conducting an archaeological survey as directed by the Madras high court to ascertain whether Ram Sethu could be declared an ancient monument.

While adjourning the matter for July 22, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishanan said in the meantime the Centre could also explore the possibility of carrying out the Sethusamudram project through other channels (alignments).

Earlier in the day, former Union minister and Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy prayed to the three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal to refer the petitions to the five-judge constitution bench for an authoritative pronouncement on the issue.

The Janata Party president also pleaded for issuing a notice to Union Shipping and Transport Minister T R Baalu, to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him for making derogatory and contemptous remarks against the sitting judge Justice B N Agrawal for dragging the Tamil Nadu government into the controversy while directing the authorities, on August 31, 2007, not to damage Ram Sethu in any manner while carrying out dredging activities for the completion of the Sethusamudram canal project.

Swamy made it clearin court that his only concern was the protection of Ram Sethu and if the central government was prepared to give an undertaking that the 25-km long Sethu shall not be demolished, he would immediately withdraw his petition .

Swamy also told the court that the central government had not taken any permission from the Sri Lankan government for completing the canal which would connect the Rameshwaram coast in Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan government could go to the International Court of Justice in this issue.

Swamy concluded by telling the court that the Centre was ignoring the advice of its own committee and had also overlooked the concerns expressed by ex-Naval chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, and ex-director-general, Coast Guard, according to whom this canal would facilitate Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam activites in India.

Additional Reportage: UNI