Scrap Sethu project, Swamy urges Gadkari

Reiterating his demand for scrapping the Sethusamudram project, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday pressed Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to declare Ram Setu a national heritage site.

“Spoke to Nitin Gadkari today about scrapping Sethusamudram Project and declaring Ram Setu as national heritage monument,” he tweeted.

Dr. Swamy has been critical of the United Progressive Alliance government for pursuing the Sethu project despite the R.K. Pachauri Committee suggesting that it is unviable.

‘A violation’ Dr. Swamy hit out at the UPA government for claiming in its affidavit, before court, that Rs.860 crore had already been spent and therefore the project should be allowed to be completed. He said cutting Ram Setu for the project would be a violation of Section 295 (malicious of the religious sentiments of the citizen irrespective of any class) of the Indian Penal Code.

The project, started in 2005, was suspended following a Supreme Court order and the Pachauri Committee was constituted to look in to the matter.