source: Newstoday March 29, 2007

V SUNDARAM

        Ambika Soni , a sworn anti-Hindu Christian Minister in the Sonia-controlled pseudo-secular surrogate UPA Government in New Delhi, had recently stated in the Rajya Sabha that there is no credible archaeological evidence regarding the history and construction of Rama Sethu Bridge in Rameshwaram. More than 800 million Hindus of India know that there is an unholy combination bordering on conspiracy against the mute Hindus of India between the non-Hindus like Sonia Gandhi and Ambika Soni in the UPA Government and the known anti-Hindu elements in the DMK led Coalition Government in Tamilnadu to somehow destroy the Ramar Sethu Bridge which has been a resplendent symbol of Hindu culture and civilization from the dawn of history.

All the Sankarachariars in India who are being treated like stateless refugees from Pakistan or Bangladesh by the declared anti-Hindu UPA Government in New Delhi, have jointly issued a statement condemning the political move of the Government of India to destroy the Ramar Sethu Bridge with gay pseudo-secular abandon. Hindu groups from around the world like Esha Vasayam USA, Hindu Forum of Britain, Hindu Collective Initiative of America Hindu Forum of Belgium, Hindu Council of Australia Hindu Human Rights, Hindu Council of Holland Italian Hindu Union, Hindu Council of Africa National Council of Hindu Temples UK, Hindu Conference of Canada Caribbean Sanatan Dharma Mahasabha, Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation and Federation of Hindu Temples in France have jointly launched the global campaign to preserve the Rama Sethu Bridge, a chain of shoals connecting India and Sri Lanka which according to the epic of Valmiki Ramayana was created by Lord Rama's troupes. All these groups have jointly issued a Statement on the day of Rama Navami on 27 March, 2007 :

'We call upon the Government of India to immediately cease the destruction of the holy Ram Sethu Bridge between India and Sri Lanka. The bridge is an ancient monument held sacred by over one billion Hindus in the world as we believe it was built by Lord Ram during an epic war.

        The destruction this bridge will not only offend our religious sentiments, but will also pose a great risk to the environment, oceanic life and the Indian coastline. It will also endanger the livelihood of thousands of fishermen in the local area.

        The Government of India is entitled to take steps to protect the commercial and trade interests of India. However, such steps should not be at the cost of offending the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus around the world. The Ram Sethu Bridge is as sacred to Hindus as the Wailing Wall is to Jews, the Vatican to Catholics, Mecca to Muslims, and Gaya to Buddhists and the Golden Temple to Sikhs. The Save Ram Sethu Campaign requests that:

        1. The SSCP should immediately stop all dredging work and withdraw all equipment forthwith from the site.

        2. The Government of India should immediately set up an independent Commission that will oversee a second round of consultations. This is to ensure that views of we take in to account the oft repeated warnings, highly critical reviews and troubling questions raised by world renowned specialists and experts on the disastrous effects on the environment and livelihood of people in the region.

        3. The SSCP should take into account the offence and hurt being felt by millions of Hindus around the world about the destruction of one of their holiest religious sites.

        All the Sankarachariars met in New Delhi about 10 days ago and have firmly resolved to fight together to face the unprecedented onslaught against time-honoured Hindu culture and Hindu traditions. They have authorized Dr Subramanian Swamy, former Union Law Minister to carry on the crusade on behalf of the Hindus of India for the preservation of the Rama Sethu Bridge. Dr Subramanian Swamy has sent a letter on 27 March, 2007 to Mrs.Ambika Soni, Union Minister for Culture, raising fundamental legal, administrative, quasi-judicial and cultural issues. I am giving below the full text of his letter:

        Dear Mrs Ambika Soni

        I write this letter in connection with the status of the Rama Setu (known in English as 'Adams Bridge') under Section 4(1) of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act (1959).

        The Rama Setu is a formation of shoal stones of 30 kilometers long and 3 kilometers wide which served for many centuries as foot-bridge from Dhanushkodi on the coast of Tamilnadu to Sri Lanka.

        It is a very, very old historic formation, and hence would come within the expression 'ancient monument'. The Brahma Sarovar at Kurukshetra

        was on a similar consideration declared by the Punjab and Haryana High Court {cf. AIR 1993 P&H 204} as an ancient monument.

        Judged by your answer to an Unstarred Question in Rajya Sabha in this current Budget Session, it is clear that the Government have so far not conducted any study to determine the nature, antiquity, and heritage value of the Rama Setu.

        However, at the non-governmental level, as also on the basis of Hindu scriptures, it is a widely held opinion that Rama Setu is the formation to facilitate Vishnu Avatara Maryada Purushottama Sri Rama and his army to cross the Palk Strait, as described in detail in Valmiki Ramayana and other scriptures.

        That such a formation per se exists has been admitted by you in answer to the said Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question, which answer is confirmed by US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) through satellite mapping and imaging.

        I urge you therefore to initiate action u/s 4 (1) of the said Act r/w Rule 31 in order to notify officially the Rama Setu as an Ancient Monument.

        An early reply would be appreciated. If there are any documentation in further support of this contention is necessary, please let me know'.

        The Punjab and Haryana High Court in a historic order delivered in 1993 ( AIR 1993 P & H 2004 ) declared the Brahma Sarovar at Kurukshetra as an 'ANCIENT MONUMENT' under Section 4 (1) of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act read with Rule 31 of the same Act. They declared Brahma Sarovar as a very, very old historic formation and hence qualified for notification as an Ancient Monument. The following cultural, spiritual and religious considerations had weighed with the Punjab and Haryana High Court in passing this order of timeless significance. These considerations seem to be irrelevant to the Islam-embracing, Christianity-coveting, Hindu-hating and Nation-destroying minority UPA Government in New Delhi nominally led by an unelected and nominated Prime Minister.

        Among the holiest of water tanks in India, the BRAHMA SAROVAR in Kurukshetra is an important national and international tourist centre in Haryana State. It has been the cradle of Indian civilization from times immemorial. It was at this sacred spot that Lord Brahma, the Creator of the Universe, conceived the Earth. This tank has been renovated and it measures 8600 ' 1500 feet. A dip in the Sarovar is viewed as a mark of sanctity of performing Ashwamedha Yajna, which, the scriptures say, absolves one of all the sins of the terrestrial world. The months of November and December are the time when migratory birds flock around Brahma Sarovar and create a beautiful environment adding to the ancient and hoary sanctity of the place.

        It is also believed that the Rig Veda was composed between 1500 and 1000 BC in this place.

        From a historical perspective, it was here that the theological and philosophical framework of Hinduism was forged between the 5th century BC and the 5th century AD. It was here that nascent Hinduism, as we know it today emerged. Tradition holds that the great 18-day battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas in which Lord Krishna played his crucial catalytic part, as described in the pages of the epic Mahabharata, was fought on the plains of KURUKSHETRA. The sacred site of Kurukshetra today preserves the memory of this great battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Kurukshetra is also known as Dharmakshetra' the region of the Dharma. Today, Kurukshetra, more than any other place in India, is the miniature image of the religious universe of the Hindus.

        Any responsible Union Minister for Culture, who respects the cultural, spiritual and religious traditions, feelings and sentiments of more than 800 millions of Hindus in majority in India, would have declared the Rama Sethu Bridge as an Ancient Monument under Section 4 (1) of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act on par with Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra on the same analogy and for similar and equally forceful and valid reasons. In my view Mrs Ambika Soni, a non-Hindu Union Minister for Culture is guilty of gross dereliction of bounden national duty. The Hindus of India view her as a propped up symbol of India's cultural and spiritual subversion and decimation.

But it is not easy to sell the message of either humane culture or humanity or reason or compassion to the national soul-destroying anti-Hindu UPA Government in New Delhi. I can use the language of the Bible to describe the soulless UPA Government. At the beginning was the Minority Vote Bank. The Minority Vote Bank was with the UPA Government. And the UPA Government was Minority Vote Bank.

All the mute and helpless Hindu millions of India must unite and say in one voice to all the politicians of India : 'Let the word go forth from this time and place that we are proud of being Hindus ! We are proud of being spiritual Hindus! We are proud of being religious Hindus ! We are proud of being cultural Hindus ! We are proud of being National and International Hindus ! We are ashamed of being anti-social and anti-national pseudo-secular Hindus ! Finally we are not afraid of being strong political Hindus to assert our fundamental rights through all constitutional and democratic means to make our vivid, vital and vibrant united Hindu voice being heard not only in India but in all the Councils of the world !'.

        (The writer is a retired IAS officer)