NEW DELHI: Reports on Union minister Jitendra Singh’s reply in the Rajya Sabha to a question from BJP-supported Independent member Kartikeya Sharma over the Ram Setu structure, stirred up a hornet’s nest in political circles on Friday.
Singh, while replying to Sharma’s question on Thursday said: “What I am trying to say in a single statement is that it is difficult to actually pinpoint the exact structure that existed there, but there is some kind of an indication, direct or indirect, that those structures have existed.”But in a section of the media, it was spun as the Centre saying there is no conclusive proof on the Ram Setu.
What the minister actually said on the Ram Setu was, “we have some certain limitations as the history dates back to 18,000 years and that bridge, if we go by the history, was 56 km long. But yes, to some extent, we have been able to discover pieces and islands and some limestone shoals, which, of course, can’t be accurately said to be remnants or parts of a bridge. But they have a certain amount of continuity in the location through which some surmises can be drawn.”
Congress leader Pawan Khera sought to stir the pot, tweeting: “All devotees, listen with open ears and see with open eyes. The Modi government is saying in Parliament that there is no conclusive proof of the existence of Ram Setu.”
Sources in the BJP said the distorted report had badly hurt the sentiments of crores of Hindus who believe the Ram Setu was built by 10 million of vanaras (monkeys) in five days to enable Ram cross the sea into Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravan’s captivity.