Setusamudram
Canal- Good Project, Bad Politics
By Mirza A. Beg
15 September, 2007
Countercurrents.org
Setusamudram,
a shipping canal completely within Indian territorial waters in the
Palk Strait, the sallow continental shelf between India and Sri Lanka
is likely to become a new cause-celebre for the sectarian forces. The
canal would shorten the shipping distance between the east and the west
coast of India by about 500 miles. The project has been challenged by
the rightwing Hindu groups and has landed in the Supreme Court for adjudication.
They claim that it will destroy the mythical bridge constructed by Lord
Rama (an Incarnation of Vishnu) with the help of the Monkey brigade
under the Monkey God Hanuman in prehistoric times. This is a problem
that should not have been, but for the crass political calculations
of the BJP (A right wing Hindu Party) and the inept handling by the
government of India. But that is the nature of electoral politics.
Though the medieval feudalistic
systems are on their way out and are being replaced by the democratic,
secular pluralistic systems, but the attitudes take a very long time
to change. One of the problems endemic to all democratic secular pluralistic
societies is how to navigate policies in the interest of progress and
public interest through the shoals of religious and cultural beliefs
rooted in perceived glorious pasts. Without exception, all who wear
religion on their sleeves, read history not with the critical scientific
attitude, but with reverence rooted in belief and its glorification.
The evolution versus creationism contest falls in this category as well.
In the most pristine form
these beliefs are spiritual, personal and beyond question, because by
definition belief in supernatural natural stands above and beyond reason.
Democracy has no problem with that, but inevitably for political supremacy
they are almost always used to rile up the populace, which without realizing
the motives falls for it.
Geologically speaking the
Indian Subcontinent and the Island of Sri Lanka are a part of the Indian
plate (Plate tectonics). The Palk Strait is a very shallow sea on the
contiguous continental shelf that is the real geological boundary of
the Indian Plate. India and Sri Lanka have been separated by the rise
in the sea level, flooding the low land between India and Sri Lanka
forming the Palk Strait. Just as many large tracts in coastal parts
of India as well as all over the world would become large Islands, if
all the glaciers melt raising the sea level further by about two to
three hundred feet.
The mistake the UPA government
has made is playing in the hands of the Hindutva forces in its briefs
filed before the Supreme Court. The government had no business, commenting
on the historical validity of the existence of Lord Rama. That was not
germane to the court pleadings and is not the purview of a secular government.
Secular government ought to steer clear of references to or questioning
any religious belief unless absolutely necessary.
The argument should have
been very narrowly focused based on the overwhelming evidence from the
findings by the Geological Survey of India and the Archaeological Survey
of India, two very old and prestigious scientific organizations.
Geologically it is normal
for sand bars to form, connecting two islands or a string of islands
in the high energy environment, where sands derived from nearby rivers
or degrading coral reefs are deposited by breaking ocean waves. They
are called Tombolos, derived from the Latin word tumulus.
Archaeologically no artifacts
have been found by the Archaeological Survey of India, indicating human
or in this case Monkey activity.
Unfortunately by unnecessarily
questioning the historical veracity of Lord Rama the government and
the politics is being battered on the shoals and Monkey business of
religious exploitation by the feudalistic pseudo democratic parties.
Mirza A. Beg can
be contacted at [email protected]
or http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com
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