Queering the pitch for the  Ramar Sethu controversy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday demanded that the Sethu be declared a national heritage monument and announced it’s full support to the “Sethu Raksha Manch”, a religious body conducting the movement for the protection of the bridge.

A resolution moved on the issue by former Bharatiya Janata Party president Murli Manohar Joshi in the Bharatiya Janata Party National Executive here condemned “tactics” which it said “tend to divide the people on the basis of geographical, linguistic and racial theories which have long been rejected by the scholars and the people as well”.

‘Sacrilegious affidavit’
The resolution demanded fixing responsibility for the drafting of “a sacrilegious affidavit” on the Ramar Sethu as also an unqualified apology from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for denying the existence of Ram.

A government displaying such complete ignorance about its history, culture, tradition and not accepting the contribution of the great heroic characters like Ram and great saints like Valmiki who had shaped the ethos of the nation from time immemorial does not deserve to stay in the office, it said.

Talking to newspersons, Joshi later claimed that the issue has support from major political leaders cutting across party lines.

He said the United Progressive Alliance government has no respect to the sentiments of the people — Hindu, Muslims and Christians — who he said “revere the bridge as Sethu Mandir, Rama Sethu, Adampul, Adam’s bridge  and Adi Sethu”.

 The resolution said the movement for the protection, preservation and declaration of the Sethu as a national heritage monument is being undertaken by “the Rameshwaram Ram Sethu Manch”. Answering queries, Joshi said the party would not directly take up the campaign on the Ramar Sethu but provide support as and when the Manch asked for it.

“We had never promised to construct the Ram temple ourselves, but had promised support to the endeavour undertaken by trusts like the Ramjnm Bhoomi Nyas,” Murli ManoharJoshi said.

“The Congress will be solely responsible for any disturbance in the country’s fabric caused by divisive forces by making statements aimed at inciting communal passions,” the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party resolution claimed that instead of assuaging the hurt caused to millions of countrymen, the Centre was now trying to submit a supplementary affidavit.

This was “with the shipping ministry wanting to file an appeal against the stay granted by the Supreme Court”.