Statement issued by Shri V.R. Krishna Iyer, former Supreme Court Judge, on August 14
According to Mr. Cardoze, famous U.S legal luminary, ?Means unlawful in their inception do not become lawful by relation when suspicion turns into discovery.? These words come to me when I talk of the Sethusamudram Canal Project. The callousness with which such a big project is conceptualised and implemented is an unpardonable act.
First of all I would like to state that neither I nor any patriotic citizen could support this project. It is a serious fault that neither scientists, nor technocrats nor Indian Navy had been consulted and sought their opinions before this project was conceptualised. Moreover the project is an open challenge to age-old Hindu beliefs.
At least the opinion that the implementation of this project as envisaged now may lead to oceanic eruptions like tsunami should be considered and studied. According to Shri Kalyanaraman, the reputed researcher, this project would invite disasters like tsunami to our southern coast and pose a threat to the valuable mineral sand deposits along this coast. Unlike in the case of Suez Canal, this canal penetrates deep into the seabed. All this testifies that the construction of the canal is unwarranted.
I suspect that the haste with which the project is proposed to be completed, ignoring the welfare and progress of the people of India may be to further the interests of countries like America. About this I had sent an emergency message to our Hon. Prime Minister.
Whatever it maybe, it is the duty of every Indian to see that this historic and holy monument is protected. Without succumbing to the pressures from foreign forces all should strongly oppose this project.
I call upon each Indian to come forward and fight for such an important cause without compromise.
