Author:
Publication: Deccan Chronicle
Date: December 7, 2007
Even while chief minister M. Karunanidhi and
his cabinet colleagues swear that Lord Rama is only a mythological character
and the Rama Sethu a natural formation, the Tamil Nadu government has launched
a publicity campaign across North India to sell Rama Sethu to the Rama bhakts.
"The waters here still carry the blessings
of Lord Rama's lotus feet. Because this is where the monkey army crossed over
to Lanka to rescue Sita. Listen to the waves telling their stories at Rameswaram,"
proclaim the
hoardings on the New Delhi-Dehradun Janshadabdi Express.
The photographs of the advertisements were
released to reporters here on Thursday by Dr Subramanian Swamy, Janata Party
president.
"It is ridiculous to note that while
chief minister Karunanidhi in his speeches debunks the Sethu and Rama , the
DMK government has been advertising and affirming the existence of the Sethu
and the historic city of Rama," Dr Swamy said.
Dr Swamy said these posters were widely displayed
on the trains running in the northernzone of the Indian Railway. "These
posters were filmed by a friend of mine who was on his way to Dehradun from
New Delhi by the
Janasadabdi Express," he explained.
Dr Swamy also released copies of the letter
written by R Anandkumar, the then director, ministry of environment and forests
to Mr S Gopalan, development advisor (ports), surface transport ministry,
in which the former rules out the possibility of the Sethu Samudram canal
project because of the disastrous consequences to the environment.
"Prima facie the ministry is not in favour
of this project as this has serious environmental implications with respect
to the marine park and the biosphere reserve located in that area. The ministry
of environment and forests strongly feels that from the environment point
of view the Sethusamudram Project should not be taken up at all," Mr
Anandkumar wrote in his letter dated April 8, 1999 to Mr Gopal.
Dr Swamy said the National Remote Sensing
Agency (NRSA) under the Department of Space had published a book of satellite
photographs which claimed that the Sethu was a man-made structure. He also
said that he would file separate cases against Mr Karunanidhi and Union ministers
T R Baalu and Ambika Soni for their claims on Rama Sethu.
