The controversial Sethusamudram project had been under sharp criticism right from the day it was proposed. One side the pious don’t want it, on the side the government feels need to enhance trade….

There seems to be many things going between the Lankans and the people of ours state. First it was the war crimes, later it was the frequent attacks of Lankan navy on Indian Fisher folks and now the Sethusamudhram Project. The project was thoroughly condemned by the chaste Hindus. In a latest bid the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to name the original bridge supposed to be built by Sri Rama as monument. The CM sent a letter in this regards to the PM, on Wednesday from the state capital.

In order to reduce the steaming distances between the east and west coasts of India and to improve the navigation within the territorial waters of India a number of proposals were considered to cut a ship channel called Sethusamudram Ship connecting the Gulf of Mannar with the Palk Bay.

The letter circulated to the media cites Ms. Jayalalithaa raising strong objections to the alignment of Sethu Samudram Channel project and said: "I request you to take necessary action to communicate the views of the government of India to the Supreme Court that it would take immediate steps for declaring the site as a national monument. The state government will separately be filing a counter to express its stand," she added.

Several cases have been filed in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court against the Sethu Samudram project that proposed to dredge the Palk Strait so that shipping is possible between the western and eastern coasts instead of circumventing Sri Lanka.  As part of the project, it was planned to break the Ram Sethu/Adam's Bridge considered sacred by Hindus as the bridge built to Lanka by Hindu god Rama. Referring to the various writ petitions, Ms Jayalalithaa said she had also filed a writ petition in the apex court in 2007. In her petition, she prayed for a direction by the apex court to direct the central government and Tuticorin Port Trust to declare Ram Sethu as a national monument and prevent any damage to it.

For the interest of the individuals: This Bridge is the site of Rama's Bridge, making it a religious monument of significance to the Hindus. While the age of the Ram Setu may be a matter of discussion, it commands high importance as a religious symbol in the minds of majority of Hindus. Nevertheless, the Govt. of India through Mr. Nariman submitted before the Supreme Court of India on 22 July 2008 that “Kamba Ramayanam say that the bridge was destroyed by Lord Ram so that no one can cross over to Sri Lanka and ships can sail through. The Telugu version of Ramayana also says Lord Ram destroyed the bridge.” (With inputs from internet- AarKay)