The BJP on Wednesday accused the UPA government of attempting to abuse and hurt Hindu sentiments by stating in the Supreme Court that there was no proof of Ram Sethu being a place of worship.- Giving a new twist to the Sethusamudram project controversy, the government has contended before the Supreme Court that the mythological Rama Setu bridge is not an "essential" and "integral" part of Hindu religion.
The controversial Sethusamudram ship channel to link India's eastern and western coasts to avoid a 785-km detour around Sri Lanka is expected to overshoot its October deadline.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday fell back on Hindutva and terrorism, with its president Rajnath Singh harping on the Ram Setu controversy, the Amarnath shrine land transfer row and parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru at a rally in Lucknow.- Congress on Wednesday rejected suggestions of a U-turn in the official stand while opposition BJP warned against exploring the option of breaking the Ram Setu.
The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it had already come to a conclusion that Rama Setu does not fulfil the criteria for being declared a national monument.- The government would respond to the Supreme Court's suggestion for an alternative alignment off the Ram Setu for the Setusamudram shipping channel, the court was informed on Thursday.
- The government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the Ram Setu "cannot be worshipped" since it was broken by Lord Ram himself. Nariman, counsel for the Setusamudram Shipping Channel Corporation, made these assertions during his argument.
The long-pending dispute over the issue of Ram Janmabhumi should be resolved by an act of Parliament, VHP leader Ashok Singhal said on Sunday.
