DMK patriarch and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday appealed to the opponents of Sethusamudram Ship Canal project not to stall it in the name of Lord Ram and cooperate with him to ensure its implementation.

In a poem in DMK mouthpiece "Murasoli", titled "This is the birthday message," Karunanidhi, who will turn 85 on Tuesday, said the project augured well for the prosperity of the state and requested those against it to not to "stall in the name of Lord Ram."

"The project will lead to booming commercial activities in Tamil Nadu. It is a historical compulsion for the state's development. I, therefore, place a request before those opposed to it. Please don't stall the project in the name of Lord Ram," he said in his inimitable style.

He also said that the canal could be as well be named after Lord Ram, and called "Sethu Ram."

"Its disheartening to see such opposition to what was a dream project of great leaders, late E V R Periyar, former chief ministers, late C N Annadurai and late K Kamaraj," he said.

Exhibiting humility, Karunanidhi hoped his requests were obliged by the persons, considering his old age, which was symbolised by the "shiver in my voice." "This is my birthday message for the people and all I want is prosperity all around," he said.

Hindu groups and some political parties, including BJP and AIADMK, are opposing the project, saying it would lead to demolition of the Ram Sethu or Adam's Bridge, believed to have been built by Lord Ram across the sea to cross over to Sri Lanka.

Though Karunanidhi had earlier launched a strong attack on Lord Ram, even questioning whether the latter was a qualified engineer to have constructed a bridge, there has been a visible shift in his stand of late.

The standoff between the DMK patriarch and Hindu groups opposed to the project led to some unsavoury incidents when a former BJP MP and VHP leader, Ram Vilas Vedanti allegedly issued a dictat against anyone speaking against Lord Ram.

Enraged by this, DMK partymen ransacked BJP headquarters in Chennai and also attacked the Hindu Munnani office.

The VHP had recently announced that it was planning a 'massive' agitation involving 50,000 persons.

A pet project of Karunanidhi, the SSCP had seen its share of legal tangles. The Supreme Court had recently directed the Centre to explore the modalities of choosing an alternative route for implementation of the project.