Union Minister for surface transport, T R Baalu has given a precedent of Narmada Bachao Aandolan (NBA), to defend his stance on the contentious issue of Ramar Sethu bridge. Obsessed with his views, the Minister has skipped the fact that NBA was pertaining to a local issue, where the affected people could have been rehabilitated. But the Sethu project is a national issue, where its demolition means irreparable damage to a cultural heritage.
Besides, until recently not much money from the national exchequer has been used for this project. But, now the Minister is hurrying up with the work obtrusively to give a feeling that crores of rupees have been spent on the project, so that it can%u2019t be withdrawn. The court%u2019s ruling that no petition could be filed against a big project of national importance is being blatantly misused by the Minister and those who support the project.
