Ram Sethu war of words attains epic proportions
The war of words on the Ram Sethu issue hotted up on Thursday with BJP leader asking Tamil Nadu chief minister to withdraw his controversial remarks on Lord Ram, a demand the DMK chief has rejected.
By PTI |
CHENNAI: The war of words on the Ram Sethu issue hotted up on Thursday with BJP leader asking Tamil Nadu chief minister to withdraw his controversial remarks on Lord Ram, a demand the DMK chief has rejected.
“Though Karunanidhi is an atheist, I appeal to him to withdraw his remarks. Atheists in America and other countries do not wound religious sentiments. Can such remarks be made against Jesus Christ in countries, where Christians are in majority or against Prophet Mohammed where Muslims are in majority,” the BJP leader asked at a press conference.
Rejecting the demand, Mr Karunanidhi, under attack from the BJP and Sangh Parivar outfits for his remarks against Lord Ram and Ram Sethu, said: “I have not said anything more than Valmiki, who authoured Ramayana. Valmiki had even stated that Ram was a drunkard. Have I said so?”
He challenged Mr Advani to share a platform with him for a debate on Ramayana. “Is Advani ready to discuss Ramayana with me on the same platform after going through Valmiki Ramayana fully?,” he asked. Ever since the Ram Sethu issue broke out following the affidavit fiasco in the Supreme Court last week, the octogenarian DMK patriarch has been on an offensive and has questioned the existence of Lord Ram and a man-made bridge near Rameswaram that has angered the Sangh Parivar groups, including the BJP.
The two leaders also sparred on other issues surrounding the Sethusamudram project, a pet issue with the DMK and other parties in the state. Mr Advani, who attended a meeting of the BJP state council in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, referred to Karunanidhi’s charge that there was a “conspiracy” to stall the Sethusamudram project and asked him whether the UPA government, which withdrew the controversial affidavits in the Supreme Court, was part of it. He also asked the prime minister to fix ministerial responsibility for the controversial affidavits filed by the government.
Brushing aside Mr Bhardwaj’s statement that the first affidavit was a mistake, Mr Advani said it was an offence under the Indian penal code “to wound religious sentiments”.
Asked whether he would accept implementation of the project without disturbing Ram Sethu, Mr Karunanidhi said the intention of the project was not to destroy Ram Sethu. “I only want the project to be implemented at the earliest as it would reduce the shipping expenses and develop trade. The project has been put on hold for the past one hundred years,” he said. The project would help south India prosper, he added.
“Though Karunanidhi is an atheist, I appeal to him to withdraw his remarks. Atheists in America and other countries do not wound religious sentiments. Can such remarks be made against Jesus Christ in countries, where Christians are in majority or against Prophet Mohammed where Muslims are in majority,” the BJP leader asked at a press conference.
Rejecting the demand, Mr Karunanidhi, under attack from the BJP and Sangh Parivar outfits for his remarks against Lord Ram and Ram Sethu, said: “I have not said anything more than Valmiki, who authoured Ramayana. Valmiki had even stated that Ram was a drunkard. Have I said so?”
He challenged Mr Advani to share a platform with him for a debate on Ramayana. “Is Advani ready to discuss Ramayana with me on the same platform after going through Valmiki Ramayana fully?,” he asked. Ever since the Ram Sethu issue broke out following the affidavit fiasco in the Supreme Court last week, the octogenarian DMK patriarch has been on an offensive and has questioned the existence of Lord Ram and a man-made bridge near Rameswaram that has angered the Sangh Parivar groups, including the BJP.
The two leaders also sparred on other issues surrounding the Sethusamudram project, a pet issue with the DMK and other parties in the state. Mr Advani, who attended a meeting of the BJP state council in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, referred to Karunanidhi’s charge that there was a “conspiracy” to stall the Sethusamudram project and asked him whether the UPA government, which withdrew the controversial affidavits in the Supreme Court, was part of it. He also asked the prime minister to fix ministerial responsibility for the controversial affidavits filed by the government.
Brushing aside Mr Bhardwaj’s statement that the first affidavit was a mistake, Mr Advani said it was an offence under the Indian penal code “to wound religious sentiments”.
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Asked whether he would accept implementation of the project without disturbing Ram Sethu, Mr Karunanidhi said the intention of the project was not to destroy Ram Sethu. “I only want the project to be implemented at the earliest as it would reduce the shipping expenses and develop trade. The project has been put on hold for the past one hundred years,” he said. The project would help south India prosper, he added.
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