New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday took strong exception to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s petition against the Centre going ahead with the Sethusamudram project by destroying the ‘Rama Setu’.
The Court, while clubbing her petition for hearing with others on the issue, was anguished that cases were filed opposing the project, three years after it was cleared in 2005.
"Nobody had ever seen the structure. Nobody had ever thought of declaring it as a national monument. It (petition) is comining from her (Jayalalithaa) is surprising," a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said.
The Court’s remarks were in response to one of the prayers in Jayalalithaa’s petition that the ‘Ram Setu’ or ‘Adams Bridge’, a barrier situated south-east of Rameshwaram connecting Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka, be declared as a national monument.
"Several matters are pending in this court on it (Rama Setu)," the Bench, also comprising Justices Tarun Chatterjee and R V Raveendran, said and added that for declaring ‘Rama Setu’ as a national monument the former Chief Minister can approach the appropriate authority.
Following the court’s observations, senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for the AIADMK Chief, preferred to withdraw the prayer.
The Court said Jayalalithaa’s petition can be heard along with other pending petitions.
At the outset when Venugopal submitted that the aspect of national security was also involved in the matter, the Bench said "how many petitions can be filed on one subject".
The senior advocate said Jayalalithaa has approached the court in the capacity of representative of the people.
Reminding that the project was cleared in March 2005, the Bench observed that "a public figure files petition after three years".
Source: http://www.hindu.com/
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SC to hear Jayalalitha’s plea on Ram Setu tomorrow
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seeking directions to the authorities to take an alternative, route to complete Sethusamudram project so that Ram Setu is not damaged.
The AIADMK supremo in her petition has sought from the apex court that Ram Setu, known as Adam’s Bridge, should be declared a monument of national heritage. Ms Jayalalithaa has contended that the expert committee had suggested six alternative routes for completing the bridge linking coasts of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka for saving navigation time of ships.
She alleged that the Karunanidhi government has been adamant on demolishing Ram Setu without caring for the sentiments of crores of Hindus across the world who believe that it was constructed by Lord Rama to reach Sri Lanka.
The Supreme Court has indicated to the Tamil Nadu government that the stand taken by it during the hearing of petitions, seeking ban on bull fights on the eve of Pongal festival, that Jallikattu was concerned with religious sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, may go against it in Ram Setu case.
Former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy has already made a statement that he will file an application in the Supreme Court for protecting Ram Setu on the ground that its demolition will hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
Source: chennaionline.com
