Govt withdraws affidavits on Lord Ram, Ram Sethu

In a damage control exercice, the central government today withdrew from the Supreme Court two affidavits including the controversial one filed by ASI claiming there was no historical or scientific evidence to establish the existence of Lord Ram and Ram Sethu as a man-made bridge.

The action came in the wake of controversy sparked by the ASI affidavit on Thursday that forced the government to backtrack on the issue.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balkrishnan, which allowed the centre to withdraw the affidavits, said that the August 31 interim order putting on hold the construction in the Ram Sethu area will continue.
The court, in its interim order, had allowed dredging activity in the area.

The government said it will examine the entire issue relating to the Sethusamudram project, and sought three month's time from the court.

The court posted the matter for hearing in the first week of January 2008.