The Tamil Nadu assembly on Thursday witnessed sharp exchanges between members after a Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA termed Ramayana an 'imaginary epic,' which was strongly objected by main opposition All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party and they demanded that such remarks be expunged.
When a resolution, moved by Chief Minister M K Stalin, to urge the Centre to implement the Sethusamudram ship canal project was taken up for discussion in the House members spoke on their party stand.
K Marimuthu of the Communist Party of India said the project was a dream of icons of the freedom movement and quoted a poem of Mahavkavi Bharathi of building a bridge to Sri Lanka.
When the project was taken up for implementation, those seeking political mileage in the name of 'epic hero Ramar' (Lord Ram) and those affected by superstition caused obstruction.
However, today the court has intervened. The Union government should immediately implement the scheme. He welcomed the resolution.
V P Nagaimaali of CPI-M said that the project is a long time dream of the people, especially for those in south Tamil Nadu.
Several protests were held by people seeking its implementation.
The Union government, however, put the project on the back burner in the name of 'Ramar Palam' (Ram Sethu) and in the name of Ramar (Lord Ram). Some are claiming as history what is 'fiction, imaginations and beliefs' and are trying so that people would believe it.
Fiction, imaginations and beliefs cannot become history. Ramayana was a classical literary work, replete with Tamil poet Kambar's poetic skills. However, this is an epic based on imagination, he said.
"I am not saying this. Mahatma Gandhi is saying that Ramayana is a great epic of imagination," he said.
Jawaharlal Nehru and C Rajagopalachari too said the same. Some are creating confusion by portraying imagination and belief as true history. Against such a background, a Union Minister has himself said that there is no "identification' for Ramar Palam (Ram Sethu). 'This is a victory for Tamil Nadu people.'
Congress Selvaperunthagai expressed confidence that a new regime at the Centre (in 2024, following Lok Sabha election) would implement the project even if the BJP-led dispensation did not do it.
When he tried to refer to a stance of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa it led to noisy scenes as the main opposition party objected to it.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the project could be taken up after addressing ecological concerns.
BJP's Nainar Nagendran said the members may confine themselves to supporting or opposing the government resolution and asked if it was necessary to claim that Ramayana was an epic based on imagination.
Speaker M Appavu said the MLAs only made citations.
"We worship Lord Ram as our God," Nagendran said and condemned the reference made by Left MLAs. He objected to description of faith in God and emotions related to it as superstition. "How can this be allowed? Please expunge these from the House records," he urged the speaker.
Appavu then told Nagendran that the views of both the BJP and Left members are on record.
Stalin said no one spoke blaming either God or religion. However, using such aspects they stalled the project. Nagendran said if the Sethusamudram project could be taken forward without causing damage to the Ram Sethu, his party would welcome it.
AIADMK's Pollachi V Jayaraman said Lord Ram is an avatar and strongly objected to the remarks of Left members.
Over 100 crore people follow Hindu religion, and Lord Ram is revered by them. Such comments, he said wounded the sentiments of Hindus and demanded that their comments be expunged. Appavu said Jayaraman's as well as those of others are on record.
The AIADMK legislator said there are apprehensions among fishermen that the project would affect fishing, and their livelihood. The views of fishermen should hence be elicited.
Intervening, Stalin said the foundation stone for the project was laid in 2005 after looking into all aspects.
Jayaraman wanted the government to analyse past dredging exercise for the Sethusamudram initiative and the expenditure incurred for that.
If the project is going to hugely benefit the people, his party would support it, the AIADMK legislator said.
