New Delhi: Despite a pending Supreme Court challenge and seemingly weakening resolve within the Congress party to push for the Sethusamudram ship canal project, Union shipping minister T.R. Baalu says he is optimistic about the prospects of the controversial Rs2,600 crore project.
Right-wing Hindu organizations, including the principal opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been opposing the project as they say it would destroy the walkway believed to have been built by Hindu god Ram.
Troubled waters: The problem in this issue is to decide between faith and science, shipping minister T.R. Baalu says. (PIB)
In a rare interview, the minister, who represents the powerful Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the ruling United Progressive Alliance, brushed aside opposition to the project on the grounds of faith, security, utility, viability or politics. He pointed out that it was the previous BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre which had cleared the project, including the specific alignment it was now opposing.
Baalu exuded confidence that the project would resume as it had been cleared by the Union cabinet, which had also set time-bound targets. At the same time, in a not-so-veiled threat, he warned that it was up to the Congress party to decide whether it wanted to continue ruling at the Centre with the help of the DMK, which has 16 Lok Sabha members. Edited excerpts:
Has the government decided to go slow on the Sethusamudram project?
The highest authority in the country, the Union cabinet, has directed me to go ahead with the project, provided funds and set targets. When there is a target given by the cabinet, how does the question of going slow arise? Because of legal issues, some work has been stalled. But as soon as I get the necessary clearances I will go ahead with the project.
Don’t you think the Congress is doing a rethink on the project, in view of the upcoming assembly elections in key states in the north, where the BJP can exploit the issue?
The Congress is totally for this project. Don’t base your views on what some people in the party might say. We have absolutely no friction with the Congress on this issue. My leader (DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi) has full confidence in madam (Congress president Sonia Gandhi).
Yet, the Congress has made it clear that it does not want to hurt the feelings of any community on this account.