"The Shri Ram Sethu must be declared an international heritage and the surrounding area must be declared a protected area otherwise the VHP, under the leadership of saints, will be forced to start a strong nationwide agitation", VHP leader Ashok Singhal said here.
"For the Hindu society, Ram Sethu is a sacred monument but the Central government is adamant to destroy it," Singhal alleged, adding "messing up with our beliefs will not be tolerated at any cost".
The VHP leader also alleged that the expert committee set up by the Centre and headed by renowned scientist R K Pachauri, which had reportedly concluded that an alternative route for the Sethu Samudram project was not environmentally or ecologically feasible, suffered from "prejudice".
"However, another fact also emerges from the report that organisms and creatures present in the bay area near the Ram Sethu are of great ecological importance and hence it is necessary to protect the whole area," Singhal added.
The government today told the Supreme Court that the high