FIR against Uma Bharti for communal remarks on Ram Sethu issue

Tamil Nadu police has filed an FIR against Bharatiya Jan Sakti leader, Uma Bharti, for her alleged communal remarks over Ram Sethu issue during a recent demonstration here.

Tiruchirappalli (TN), July 8 : Tamil Nadu police has filed an FIR against Bharatiya Jan Sakti leader, Uma Bharti, for her alleged communal remarks over Ram Sethu issue during a recent demonstration here.

The FIR has been lodged under Section 153A and Section 506 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.

She has been charged for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony under section 153A read with clause 2 of section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

While addressing a gathering in Tiruchirappalli, Bharti had reportedly said, "We will kill and die to protect Ram Sethu".

Earlier, Bharti had announced that she would undertake a 'padayatra' from Rameswaram to Ayodhya to gather support for Ram Sethu's protection.

The proposed Sethusamudram ship canal project links the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Those opposed to the project have cited both religious and environmental factors. From a religious point of view, Hindus say it would require destruction of the 'Ram-Sethu', a 48-kilometer chain of limestone shoals, was constructed by Lord Ram, the king of Ayodhya.

There is no scientific evidence regarding the existence of any ancient man-made structure in the proposed Sethusamudram Ship Channel alignment.

Under the 560 million dollars 'Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project' (SSCP), a channel will be dredged in the shallow portion of the sea off the southern tip of India so that vessels of up to 30,000 tonnes, including Indian Navy patrol vessels, will not have to circumnavigate Sri Lanka.

Work on the project, first proposed almost a century ago, was started in 2005 and is scheduled to be completed by November, 2008.

Once finished, freighters sailing from one side of India to the other will no longer have to detour south around the bottom of Sri Lanka, saving up to 400 nautical miles and 36 hours.

ANI