DMK to govt on Ram Setu: Honour commitment to people of TN

New Delhi: As the Sethusamudram Project assumes centrestage yet again, the DMK today strongly batted for the controversial project demanding that the Centre "expedite" the judicial process and honour its commitment made to the people of Tamil Nadu in this regard.With the Supreme Court asking the Centre to clarify whether Ram Sethu can be declared a national monument, the DMK blamed "vested interests" for approaching the apex court and getting a stay on the project.[caption id="attachment_260201" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Image under CC by PlaneMad/Wikipedia Commons"][/caption]"We note with anguish and dismay that those reactionary elements and forces inimical to the development of Tamil Nadu resorted to a discernible pattern of modus operandi to sabotage projects which could have brought immense economic benefit to the people of Tamil Nadu and India," DMK MPs said in a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.They said any "weakened response" of this government to such a issue will only "expose" the betrayal of hope and promise given to the state by leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sonia Gandhi and M Karunanidhi."Abandoning the prestigious project will only lead to wanton wasting of precious public money and rare national assets created so far after immense efforts," they said. The memorandum comes a day after Tamil Nadu ChiefMinister Jayalalithaa asked the Union government to declare Ram Setu a national monument without further delay. The DMK members urged the prime minister to take all "necessary steps" to expedite the judicial process and honour the government's commitment made to people of Tamil Nadu.PTI