Uma Bharti files police complaint over Sethusamudram project

Bharatiya Janashakti Party leader Uma Bharti today filed a police complaint against those involved in submitting a government affidavit over the controversial Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project to the Supreme Court.

New Delhi/Chennai, Sept 22 : Bharatiya Janashakti Party leader Uma Bharti today filed a police complaint against those involved in submitting a government affidavit over the controversial Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project to the Supreme Court.

Bharti and her party workers participated in a march before lodging formal complaint at the police station near the Parliament here.

"There is an example from the journalist, a famous journalist, Mr Alok Tomar. He just republished a cartoon of Mohammad Hazrat, and for that, the paper was banned and he was sent to jail. He was harassed and no explanation to charge sheet was given to him. Till today, he is being harassed. The same kind of crime has been committed by Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Karunanidhi, T.R. Baalu and by Hans Raj Bhardhwaj," said Bharti.

"In this country, law and the Constitution has to be the same, you cannot have two kinds of laws, separate for Hindus and Muslims. And, if they do so, they are again dividing the country between Hindus and Muslims. They are very dangerous people," she added.

On the other hand, Union Shipping and Road Transport Minister T. R. Baalu, said that the Centre would go ahead with the present alignment of the ship lane project after convincing the Supreme Court.

"I can only say (that) as far as the ministry is concerned, it is a settled issue. When the matter is in front of the Supreme Court, I would not like to comment on the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. We will put forward our arguments before the Supreme Court and we will tell all our arguments as far as scientific issues are concerned," said Baalu.

A row erupted after the Centre filed an affidavit before the apex court on Wednesday in connection with the ship lane project, saying that Hinduism's most important texts were not proof of the existence of Hindu gods.

The government had to backtrack on the affidavit the next day following vociferous protests. They sought three months time from the apex court to file an amended affidavit.

ANI