Process underway to declare Ram Setu national heritage: Centre tells SC

Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that the process to declare Ram Setu a national heritage monument is underway in the Ministry of Culture.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala, which was hearing a PIL filed by former Rajya Sabha lawmaker Subramanian Swamy on the issue, asked the Bharatiya Janata Party leader to make a representation to the government if he wished so.

Context

The issue seeking declaration of the Ram Setu as National Heritage was raised by Swamy in his 2007 plea against the Sethu Samundram Ship Channel project. Under the project an 83-kms long channel was to be created linking Mannar and Palk Strait by extensive dredging. The project was alleged to have an impact on the Ram Setu. The previous UPA government had reportedly denied the existence of any such bridge, leading to strong objection from the BJP. The saffron party kept its tirade against the Congress high over the years in a bid to brand the grand old party “anti-Hindu.” The matter has been earlier mentioned by Dr. Swamy on a number of occasions.

The court’s proceedings

The court asked the Union government to take a decision on the issue and granted Swamy the liberty to move before it again if he is dissatisfied and disposed of his interim application on the issue, according to the Live Law.

Swamy said: “I do not want to meet anybody… We are in the same party, it was there in our manifesto. Let them decide in six weeks or whatever.”

“Can they designate the minister to meet me? It has happened in past. They’ve not responded…”, Swamy requested.

“The applicant may meet them”, the SG said.

“I won’t meet anybody, we’re in same party, they’re violating the manifesto”, Swamy said.

Advocate Satya Sabharwal assisted Swamy.

The Bench said: “Learned Solicitor General (Tushar Mehta) states that a process is currently underway in the Ministry of Culture. He states that the petitioner (Swamy) may submit additional communication if he may so wish,” the bench said. The top court asked the Centre to take a decision on the issue.

Swamy appearing as a party-in-person the case

Last month, the Centre informed Parliament that there was no conclusive evidence of the existence of Ram Setu—the mythical bridge on which Lord Ram and his army went to rescue Sita. Swamy said that in 2019, the Minister of Culture Prahlad Patel had called a meeting of officers of all connected departments to discuss the matter. “Why are they dragging their feet?”, he asked. Swamy has on the earlier occasions expressed objections to the Centre not yet filing its affidavit in the matter. Today, SG Tushar Mehta suggested that the petitioner make a representation before the Ministry.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM

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