NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a direction to declare the ‘Ram Sethu’ as a national monument and to construct a wall at the site in the sea for a few meters or kilometres, so that it can be open for many to have 'Darshan'.
The public interest litigation (PIL) was taken up before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia and subsequently rejected by the apex court.
In the plea, petitioner Hindu Personal Law Board, through its president Ashok Pandey, prayed for declaring Sri Ram Setu/ Nalahin Setu/Setu Bandh as a national monument within the provisions of Ancient Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958.
‘Ram Sethu’, also known as Adam’s bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.
"In case this Setu comes in open, it will give way to people across the world to come to Dhanuskoti (Rameshwaram) for the Darshan of the bridge constructed under the orders of Lord Ram. In case it is done, the common man will be able to walk on this bridge for a few meters. It will fulfil the desire of crores of persons like the petitioner to walk, sit and sleep on the bridge through which Ram along with his army went to Lanka to kill Rawan and to establish Ram Raj in Lanka," the plea said.
"..it is indeed good that Sri Nitin Gadkari, the minister given the charge of this department declared in the Parliament that Sri Ram Setu will not be destructed and without destruction of the same, the Setu Samudram Shipping Canal Project (SSSCP) will be completed," it said further.