SC refuses to adjourn hearing on Sethu project

NEW DELHI: The apex court on Tuesday rejected a suggestion to adjourn the hearing on the Sethu Samudram project on the grounds that the Congress dominated UPA government is seeking a trust vote in parliament.

Refusing the plea of an anti-project petitioner, a bench headed by chief justice KG Balakrishnan said: “How are we concerned with the trust motion. This court is only concerned with judicial matters.” The petitioner wanted postponement of the hearing for three weeks. “So many things are happening in this country, but we are only concerned with this case,” observed the court.

Earlier, the Centre had filed a fresh affidavit seeking vacation of its interim orders on putting on hold any damage to the ancient Ram Sethu. The 60-page affidavit, cleared by the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs (CCPA) chaired by the prime minister Manmohan Singh, said the government respects all religions, but was of view that it should not be called upon to respond to issues of faith except in recognising their existence.

The amended affidavit assumes significance as it has been filed after the Centre withdrew its two affidavits in which it had questioned the existence of Lord Ram and Ram Sethu, in September last year. In an interim order, the court had allowed the dredging activity for the project to the extent that it did not in anyway damage the Rama Sethu.

Senior advocates K Parasaran, Soli J Sorabjee, CS Vaidyanathan, Sriram Panchu and M Krishnanmani, who appeared for different petitioners, had stressed on the religious significance of Ram Sethu among Hindus.

b_rakesh@dnaindia.net