Ram Sethu ..Dr Subramanian Swamy

Rama Setu: 'rational' DMK should abandon Setu Channel, set up Marine Economic Zone and coastal Railway lines in Tamilnadu – Dr. Subramanian Swamy

The tenor of speeches and the resolutions passed in the recent youth convention of the DMK at Tirunelveli, and which was attended by the DMK Chief and TNCM Mr. Karunanidhi, exhibits impotent anger and deep frustration of the DMK in not been able to get implemented the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP). The project is stalled because it calls for cutting a canal of 300 metres wide through the Rama Setu. On my petition, the Supreme Court has granted an injunction to prevent any damage to the Setu.


The DMK has been for the first time frustrated from doing what it wants. The party has always thought that if it is in power in the State and a coalition partner in the Centre then they can get anything implemented of their choice.

Unfortunately this time the DMK has failed because they went against Bhagwan Sri Rama. Earlier attempts to secretly break the Setu by dredger came to naught because the dredger itself broke instead of the Setu.

It is a bogus claim of the DMK that the SSCP will benefit the coastal residents of Tamil Nadu. On the contrary, 500,000 fishermen and their families will become unemployed if the SSCP is implemented.

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  The coastal regions of the State can be better benefited if we build a broad-gauge double railway line from Tuticorin Port along the Coast all the way to Chennai, thereby connecting to Kolkata. The Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait should be declared a Marine Economic Zone, and developed as a fishing industry.
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  The Rama Setu should be declared as a pilgrim centre and enable Hindus from all over India including from the DMK to come with facility to the area. Recently, DMK's Information Minister P. Illamvazuthi, a Dalit, quietly left the Tirunelveli DMK convention and with his wife, went to Rameshwaram to pray to Shiva and Lord Rama to forgive him for his party's demand to demolish the Rama Setu.

If Karunanidhi cannot bring 'rationality' in his own party, how can he expect the Tamils not to worship Lord Rama and the Rama Setu?

It is time for Mr. Karunanidhi to realize that his brand of Dravidian politics has failed. Tamil Nadu is largely of Hindu-minded people, and while other religious minorities live in harmony. Hence rationalism of the DK variety to which Karunanidhi claims legacy, has no future in the State. Time now for him to go into retirement.

Source: December 18, 2007, Statement of Dr. Subramanian Swamy, President of the Janata Party __._,_.___