Oh God! UPA red faced, says Lord Ram existed

THEIR FAITH: VHP supporters take out a rally in Jammu against the Sethusamudram project.

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Keywords: Hinduism, Ram Setu

New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi's intervention on Thursday made the Government act quickly to save itself from the mess it created by its affidavit on the Sethusamudram canal project.

It announced Thursday afternoon that it would file a fresh affidavit before the Supreme Court, removing the controversial remarks on Lord Ram.

Congress sources said Gandhi has sought an explanation from the government over the references that have "hurt the sentiments" of the people and urged it to take remedial measures immediately.

The Centre will withdraw “offending remarks” from an affidavit which said there is no scientific or historical evidence to prove the existence of Lord Ram.

“Lord Ram is an integral part of Hindu faith” and his existence can never be doubted, said Union Law Minister H R Bharadwaj. He announced the Government would on Friday file a supplementary affidavit on the Sethusamudram canal project before the Supreme Court and the Archaeological Survey of India’s affidavit will be cleansed of offending remarks.

The ASI affidavit, which was filed to explain the Government’s position on the Sethusamudram project, embarrassed the Government and gave ammunition to its political rivals, as it claimed that mythological texts cannot be regarded as “historical record” and they don’t prove the existence of characters mentioned in those texts.

The controversy has given the BJP a chance to embarrass the government. Party president Rajnath Singh on Thursday rejected the Government’s explanation and demanded an “unqualified” apology.

"Why is there a picture of Ram and Krishna in the Constitution if Ram or Krishna did not exist ? And why did Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation show us the dream of 'Ramrajya'? Were all these fictitious ?" Singh said in Agartala.

Such an affidavit (filed by the ASI) directly hurts the religious belief of the majority of the people of our country. The affidavit may trigger inter-religious conflict in the country," he said.

Unless the Centre apologises for the affidavit and withdraws it, BJP would support the VHP-RSS demand for scrapping of the Sethusamudram project in Rameswaram.

The Sethusamudram project, row

BRIDGE OF CONTROVERSY

Ram Setu is a mythical bridge southeast of Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, connecting with the Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka.

Hindu groups say the Rs 2087-Sethusamudram project, which will build a canal from the west coast of India to the east coast without going around Sri Lanka, will damage the Setu. Work on the project began in July 2005.

Hindu groups believe Lord Ram’s army built the Setu to cross over to Sri Lanka and rescue Sita. The Government says the Setu (bridge) is actually a natural, 30-km-long chain of sand banks.

The Supreme Court has restrained the government from causing any damage to the Setu.

The Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic.