PTI

New Delhi, Jul 24: In comments that triggered a fresh controversy over the Sethusamudram project, the Centre on Wednesday invoked in the Supreme Court a Tamil version of Ramayana to make a point that Lord Rama himself had destroyed the mythical Rama Setu.

Asserting that the government wants to go ahead with the project, senior advocate Fali S Nariman attacked the opponents of the project for raising matters of religion and faith to oppose it.

Appearing for the Centre, he said those who have relied on scriptures of faith in their attempt to block the venture should also consider other aspects of faith.

He referred to Kamba Ramayana and Padma Purana to make a point that Lord Rama himself had destroyed the Rama Setu so that nobody should come from Lanka.

"Lord Rama destroyed the bridge and details are there in the scriptures. You cannot worship something which has been destroyed," Nariman asserted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

The senior advocate, who was countering the arguments of anti-project petitioners that destruction of Rama Setu would affect the faith of people, said "we are not destroying any bridge. Everything on the project is being done with great circumspection."

"If we have gone wrong we will correct it. The idea is to go ahead with the project. We have to see there is no violation of law," the noted jurist said.

Though the Bench clarified that at the moment it was averse to entering into any debate whether Rama Setu or Adams Bridge was man-made or not, Nariman said "if you are going to rely on faith, go into other aspects of the faith also."