Govt in a fix over Ram Setu, withdraws affidavit

In a damage control exercise, the Centre on Friday withdrew from the Supreme Court its two affidavits, including the controversial one filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) claiming there was no historical or scientific evidence to establish existence of Lord Ram and Rama Setu as a man-made bridge.
The Centre's action came in the wake of controversy sparked by the ASI affidavit on Thursday that forced the Government to backtrack on the issue.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balkrishnan, which allowed the Centre to withdraw the affidavits, said that the August 31 interim order putting on hold the construction in Rama Setu area will continue.
The Court in its interim order had allowed the dredging activity.
The government said it will examine the entire issue relating to the Sethusamudram project and sought three month's time from the court.
The Court posted the matter for hearing in the first week of January 2008.
The government said it wanted to resolve the matter in a "constructive and mutually acceptable manner".
"I have taken instructions from the Government at the highest level," Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam told the Bench which included Justice R V Raveendran.
He said there was no intention to cast aspersion on religious faith or to divide the society.
Meanwhile, UPA partner DMK says ASI is right. “We fully agree with the ASI stand on Ram Setu. It is a natural structure. We are only looking at the economic point of it. It should not become a religious issue and DMK’s stand on religion is known to all,” DMK leader TKS Elangovan said.
The Opposition has been quick to seize upon the issue. BJP leader Narendra Modi fired his first salvo against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the Ram Setu issue saying, “Ram was born here. He wasn't born in Italy. We don't need any certificate from the Congress on Ram.”