Muslims hold the key in Bareilly district’s nine seats

BAREILLY, Apr 15: Caste and religious equations are expected to dominate in the nine assembly seats in this district famous for the ‘dargah’ of Sufi saint Ala Hazrat that attracts Hindus and Muslims from across the country.

As a majority of the nine seats have a sizeable Muslim population, the voting by the community will in all likelihood decide the fate of candidates in the fray here.

Though all parties barring the BJP claim to have the support of the dargah, which has a large following in the district, ulemas and clerics associated with it have so far not issued any appeal in favour of any party.

Muslims are also unlikely to back candidates of any single party, rendering the contest wide open.

A lot is at stake for the ruling Samajwadi Party, which won five of these seats in the 2002 assembly elections, followed by the BJP with two seats and the BSP with one. An independent candidate was victorious in Bareilly Cantonment.

What makes the contest interesting is the presence of a Muslim party-the Ittehad Millat Council (IMC) headed by controversial Maulana Aukeer Raza Khan, who came to the limelight after he issued a fatwa for "beheading" Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, currently living in India.

The IMC has fielded candidates in several seats in the district, and has some support in the city and cantonment.

Observers say a close contest is certain at Faridpur and Aonla, when Bareilly goes to the polls in the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on April 18.

While the Samajwadi Party bagged Faridpur, Nawabganj, Bhojipura, Kanwa and Baheri seats in the 2002 polls, the BJP won Bareilly City and Aonla.

The BSP, however, finished second at three places. Moreover its candidate lost Faridpur by only 238 votes. The BJP scraped through in Aonla by a margin of only 263 votes.

The Congress finished second in Muslim-dominated Bareilly Cantonment, losing to an independent by 14,000 votes. However, it hopes to turn the tables this time.

The Congress won the mayoral elections in Bareilly city last year, when its candidate emerged victorious by over 60,000 votes.

Among the Muslims, the Ansari community commands a majority in the cantonment seat and is likely to be the deciding factor. Samajwadi Party’s Fahim Sabir, an Ansari, hopes to corner a large chunk of Ansari votes.

The star campaigners of all major parties have addressed election meetings here. Samajwadi Party president and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav addressed over a dozen rallies in the city and adjoining areas while BSP chief Mayawati has also held rallies.

The star campaigner for the Congress was its young MP Rahul Gandhi, who held roadshows in nearby Shahabad and Milak (Nilaspur) assembly constituencies in neighbouring Rampur district.

With no visible undercurrents in favour of any party, a tough electoral battle appears to be on the cards when the seats go to the polls. (PTI)

Himachal trying to woo Bollywood

SHIMLA, Apr 15: Himachal Pradesh, which has formed the backdrop of many a hit movies in the past, is stepping up plans to sell its natural beauty to Bollywood film makers by formulating a comprehensive plan which would make it easier for them to shoot in the state.

The Department of Tourism is preparing a half-an-hour audio-video cassette ‘Himachal Through Films’ comprising clippings of all past movies shot in the beautiful locations of the state, Commissioner cum Managing Director of HP Tourism Development Corporation Tarun Shridhar told PTI.

The highlights of the plan included collecting fee for shooting at one place (tourism department) to spare filmmakers from the trouble of running from pillar to post to get clearance from different departments like forest, transport etc.

As part of its smart market strategy, the department has been participating in film festivals and other programme on film and TV to disseminate information about the state, he said.

The department officials participated in international film festival in Goa in November last year and also put up an Himachal stall to provide comprehensive information about the state to the film personalities.

The State Government is also extending hospitality to units of film, tv serials and music albums shot in the hill state or those having Himachal as its theme, Shridhar said.

Citing the case of Singapore which spent about Rs six crore in providing facilities for shooting of Hrithik Roshan starrer "Krishh", Shridhar said the film, in return, made Singapore a popular destination for shooting.

Singapore has been seen in many Bollywood movies after the success of "Krishh".

Besides Shimla and Kullu, he said Chamba, Dalhousie, Dharamsala and Nahan have been selected for film and TV programe shooting.

Popular scenes in Bollywood hits "Taal", "Border" and "Black" were shot in diffrent locations in Himachal Pradesh.

Officials from motion picture, individual filmmakers and TV serial producers have been consulted on ways to promoting Himachal as a favourable destination for shooting, he said adding the hill state could enhance its revenue through cinematic tourism.

"Nature has endowed Himachal with abundant beauty. The state can cash it by attracting film tourism into the state," he said. (PTI)

Rahul offers ‘chadar’ at Sufi shrine

BAREILLY, Apr 15: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today paid obeisance at the shrine here of Sufi saint Ala Hazrat, former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao was not allowed to offer a chadar shortly after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992.

After offering a ‘chadar’, Rahul, who is campaigning for his party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, sought the blessings of the caretaker of the dargah.

Sources in the Congress said Rahul being allowed to pray at the dargah reflected the "increasing acceptability" of the party among Muslims.

They claimed the faith of Muslims in Rahul has increased following his recent remarks that the Babri mosque would not have been demolished had a member of the Gandhi-Nehru family been at the helm of affairs in 1992.

The shrine is revered by Hindus and Muslims and attracts hundreds of visitors every day. Narasimha Rao had visited it a few months after the Babri mosque was demolished. (PTI)

Govt must frame national doctrine on defence: ex-IAF Chief

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: The Government must frame a national doctrine on defence and create a joint headquarters of the three services to achieve strategic objectives through combined efforts, a former IAF chief has said.

The focus should not merely be on acquisitions and upgrading technology but on meeting objectives dictated by the Government "jointly in an optimal and cost-effective manner", Air Chief Marshal (retired) S Krishnaswamy said in an article in the forthcoming issue of Indian Defence Review.

Recommending a healthy debate in Parliament on India’s military capabilities and budget allocations while enhancing accountability and performance, he said the man behind the gun and the machine was irreplaceable and required to be given the best protection possible.

"A modern soldier would be better qualified, educated and trained. Manpower cost would escalate rapidly. A serious study is needed to arrive at the optimum mix of forces," he said, adding quality and not quantity would be the key factor.

Seeking a mechanism to periodically review the equipment status of the armed forces, Krishnaswamy said Indian military held a significant proportion of equipment that was "obsolete or await spares", for which they have been strongly criticised by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

"CAG has criticised all the three services for holding a large stock of unusable and wasteful inventory costing hundreds of crores of rupees and a sizeable proportion of combat equipment lying unfit for operations," he said, adding "it makes no sense if the IAF cannot maintain serviceability (of aircraft) better than 50 or 60 per cent".

Krishnaswamy pointed out that the army "routinely" chartered civil airlines to transport its troops going on leave from Jammu and Kashmir to Delhi while "the IAF transport fleet stands on ground needing spare parts".

At times, the wait for spares takes years, forcing the IAF to resort to "cannibalization" (pulling out parts from one aircraft and fitting them in another).

This increased the quantum of work manifold and was an unhealthy practice, Krishnaswamy said, asking the Government to pay serious attention in going into the causes and remedies of this issue.

On the failure of intelligence and monitoring of the border which led to the infiltrations in Kargil and by China in 1962, he said, "Such instances make us rush our troops and leave them there permanently to guard (while) not putting in enough effort to improve intelligence.

"More hilltops are physically guarded these days than ever in our history...We need to develop special weapons and mobility means in the hills," he said, pointing out that the option of unmanned means to monitor and gather intelligence for troop deployment has not been explored.

While the ITBP and BSF have been raised for guarding the hills and borders, this has "prevented out-of-box solutions like effective monitoring by other means or deterrence of severe punishment if infringed," he said.

Stressing the need to develop special weapons and mobility in the hills, he said, "Our forces have not acquired adequate skills in languages which are vital for intelligence gathering and analysis, especially learning the Chinese language." (PTI)

Prescription drugs and ganja-the new
‘in’ thing for youngsters

NEW DELHI Apr 15: From an occasional puff or a beer - youngsters in the country are now stepping up their party style, causing concern among parents as well as law enforcement agencies.

Forensic test results on 287 youngsters arrested from the recent infamous rave party in Pune have rung alarm bells for everybody. Policemen as well as doctors and parents were all astonished to find that 249 youths including girls picked up from the party tested positive for drugs.

"Drug culture among youths is on the rise. What is surprising is that even school students are now getting into drugs or substance abuse," says Dr Gautam Bhatia, director, Sahyog, a rehabilitation clinic here

Statistics available with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), say out of the total 981 kg of heroin seized in 2005-06 from across the country, 20 percent was from Delhi alone.

"People start off with softer drugs such as marijuana (Ganja) and graduate to higher ones. And thus follows a chain of abuse," adds Dr Bhatia.

Rave parties that are synonymous with drug abuse are now a common thing in many cities. Invitations for such parties are often sent out by word of mouth or through community websites like in the case of the Pune incident.

From inputs received from PTI bureaus across the country, police officials say there is no culture of rave parties in their respective jurisdiction.

According to Gopal Hosur, Joint Commisioner, Crime, Bangalore, "We don’t get any specific tip-off since the groups indulging in rave parties are very closed one and do not advertise. They have their own internal source of communication and pass information personally. Hence, it is difficult to nab them."

Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore among other bigger cities had been always known for their rave parties and smaller cities have also caught on to the party mode.

In November last year, police raided a farmhouse near Jamwaramgarh, Rajasthan the venue of a rave party organised exclusively for foreign tourists. The raid yielded various kinds of drugs scattered around.

Likewise, the holy town of Pushkar is also known for rave parties and if event managers are to be believed such parties in Pushkar are unofficially organised on full moon nights and on Saturdays.

"There is no doubt that drug abuse is on the rise. The current lifestyle brings in a lot of stress disorders and many resort to drugs as the easiest option," says Dr Gurumik Singh, Psychiatrist based in Delhi who also runs a rehabilitation centre.

His theory is also supported by Dr Bhatia who says, "Society is becoming more and more materialistic. Break up of joint families, peer pressure, working parents take a toll on a childs mental strength as he starts feeling alone and steers to drug abuse. Moreover, drugs are now considered the ‘in’ thing."

The doctor says one of his youngest patients was a class nine student who was abusing commonly available medical drugs.

A recent study conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, has revealed that the drug use pattern has changed in Punjab. The study found out that prescription drugs, including painkillers, cough suppressants and pills are more prevalent.

According to Drug and Food Controller, Kashmir Aslam Khateeb, "Our department has received a number of complaints alleging that the youths are using particular drugs. Hence, we have issued strict warning to medical stores asking them not to sell drugs without a valid prescription of doctors.

Shaibal Gupta, director Asian Development Research Institute, Patna says, "The increasing market centric and crass entertainment has led to the by-product of drug addiction. Unfortunately, drug addiction is a sign of affluence, rather than deprivation."

As Dr Bhatia points out, the age group of drug abusers is constantly coming down. College students regularly indulge in drug abuse and quite a few places around colleges are known as the den for drug supply. A visit to any pool centres near higher education institutes would reaffirm the fact that drugs is common among youngsters.

"Getting pot (Ganja) is not a big issue here. All one needs to know is whom to contact," says a young college student in Delhi. Places like Paharganj, Majnu ki Tila in North Delhi or even areas near East of Kailash have been a favourite hunting grounds for many students in Delhi eager for their daily joint.

With Ganja (known as the poor man’s drug and hence not monitored enough) selling for as low as Rs 20, it is not tough to procure them.

College students are not the only ones who are affected by the drug culture.

In Chennai, last year, the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau (NIB) arrested a man in Sowcarpet, Chennai and seized nearly 1,920 pieces of chocolate stuffed with ‘ganja’.

Governments have now taken note of the growing trend of drug abuse in the society and are keen on community based programmes to eradicate the problem.

"Prevention of drug trafficking and checking the drug addiction menace is a social responsibility of all and everyone has to contribute towards eradicating this evil," says C Phunsog, chief secretary, Jammu and Kashmir. The State Government has sought the assistance of religious leaders and social workers to educate people especially youths about problems of drug abuse.

"The country has seen some high profile cases of drug abuse and the concentration is only on higher end drugs such as cocaine and heroin. But what is commonly used by youngsters are grass (ganja) and even medical drugs which continue to go unchecked," claims a doctor working with a rehabilitation centre. (PTI)

Lure of ‘Lalpari’ fish lands Indian fishermen in Pak nets

PORBANDAR, GUJARAT, Apr 15: The urge to catch ‘Lalpari’, a variety of fish found predominantly in the Arabian Sea near Pakistani maritime territory, has landed a large number of Indian fishermen in the jails of the neighbouring country.

This fish, which is also known as "Red Solomon", is in great demand in India and is found in very large numbers near the inter tidal zones of Indus river near the Pakistan maritime boundary.

A number of Indian fishermen, who try to catch this fish, have accidentally strayed into Pakistan waters and consequently have been arrested by that country’s maritime authorities and are languishing in their jails.

"This fish lays eggs in the inter-tidal zones of Indus river. The Indian fishermen, who are after this fish, inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) because in the sea there are no clear cut demarcations. As a result many of the fishermen land in the hands of Pakistani officials," said the Deputy Inspector General of Coast Guard, G P Raj, while talking to PTI.

This problem is not exclusive to Indian fishermen alone. Same thing happens to Pakistani fishermen who stray into Indian maritime territory. In many cases the fishermen are allowed to go, if on interrogation they are found to be innocent.

The task of guarding the vast Indian coastline rests on the shoulders of the Coast Guard which works closely with the Indian Navy and the Indian Customs Department.

‘Lalpari’ is not greatly relished in Pakistan, but is considered a delicacy in India. This fish does not have much bones and, hence, are also used as fillet in sandwiches or buns. The price it fetches here is quite high.

The reason why the fishermen cross the maritime boundary could be many. In some cases, it could be just because of strong tidal currents, high winds, lack of navigation equipment and sometimes due to engine failure.

In many cases, when there are violations, the boats are seized and crew and fishermen fined and released. But on several occasions they land up in jails.

Despite the existence of so much risk while fishing in the sea near the Pakistani maritime boundary, several Indian fishermen venture in these areas. This is because the inducement is very great.

The Coast Guard DIG said, "The boat owners induce the fishermen to venture out in those areas by cash and kind because of the high market value of the fish.

"The inducements include a large amount of cash, motorcycle or sometimes even old fishing boats. For the poor fishermen, such offers are difficult to resist and as a result they take the risk of catching this fish in the maritime border between India and Pakistan, he said.

Both countries from time to time have been releasing captured fishermen as part of confidence building measures.

As per Gujarat government figures, about 1,400 Indian fishermen have been released by Pakistan between January 2005 and 2007 and several others are still languishing in Pakistani jails. (PTI)

Girl longs to meet President for tips on business skills

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: Fifteen-year-old Shardha Narayana is eagerly waiting to meet President A P J Abdul Kalam, who promised her during an earlier visit to offer tips on how to become a successful entrepreneur.

"Along with many visitors I had met him at Rashtrapati Bhawan to offer New Year greetings. When I told him about my dream to become a business woman, he praised my decision, saying very few women opt for the field," Shradha recalled.

The interaction that lasted merely five minutes is still fresh on her mind. "He gave me some tips and asked me to visit him sometime so that he could guide me in details on how to become a successful entrepreneur," Shradha, a 12^{th standard student from Delhi’s Salwan Public School, said.}

^{Quoting the President, she said, "He was of the opinion that while people look for jobs, I will provide employment to several people."}

^{Thrilled that her decision to become an entrepreneur has been appreciated by none other than but the President of the country, Shardha is determined to meet her "teacher" as she put it, "Nobody can have a better guide than him."}

^{She has been keeping a regular tab on her e-mails for an appointment.}

^{And her mother Kavita Narayan, who is as excited, is helping her in the pursuit.}

^{"I have no words how I felt when he told my daughter that he would offer her guidance on her career. It is due to his encouraging words that we are tempted to meet him once again. My daughter will be lucky to get a word of advice from him," said Kavita.}

^{She wonders if the President would to meet Shardha on April 24 when she turns 16.}

^{"It would be the most memorable birthday gift to my daughter," quipped Kavita. (PTI)}

Amar Singh’s name also in Lalganj voter’s list

AZAMGARH, UP, Apr 15: Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh cast his vote at Ghaziabad during the second phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections but his name also figures in the voter’s list of Lalganj constituency in this district.

The name of Singh, his father Harischandra, mother Shail Kumari and wife Pankaja figure in the voter’s list of Sultanpur village in Lalganj constituency, according to the list made available by the district election office.

Their names figure at serial nos 620 to 623 in the list.

The list also contains the names of Singh’s brother Arvind and his wife Renu.

Sultanpur is the native village of Singh, the general secretary of the ruling Samajwadi Party, though he rarely visits it. (PTI)

RAW exempted from information disclosure
on Netaji, says CIC

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: The Central Information Commission has turned down for the second time a man’s request under the RTI Act seeking disclosure of information by the Research and Analysis Wing over its records available on Subhash Chandra Bose.

The Commission while rejecting the information request filed by one Anuj Dhar, a resident of the capital, said that RAW is exempted from disclosing information under the Act.

"Research and Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat is mentioned in the Second Schedule (of RTI Act) and hence CIC has no jurisdiction to pass any orders/decisions in respect of disclosure of any information or files etc in possession of this organization", the Commission said.

The Commission, in its order passed last week rejected Dhar’s review plea where he had sought revision of its earlier decision passed in January this year.

The CIC in its order of January 29 had disposed of a RTI complaint filed by Dhar seeking information from Cabinet Secretary over disclosure of records held by RAW on Bose.

The Commission while denying disclosure of the information had said that RAW was beyond the purview of RTI Act adding that such details could only be divulged if it concerned allegations of corruption or human right violations.

In his review plea placed with the CIC, Dhar contended that Cabinet Secretariat, which in its response of January 19 had denied possession of any information on Bose, was not true.

He further pointed out that withholding information on Bose would amount to human rights violation and thus such details should be made open to the public.

Dhar has also filed an RTI application with External Affairs Ministry seeking copies of correspondance between India and Russia over the disappearence of Bose. (PTI)

‘Centre cannot foot rehabilitation cost from CRF’

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: The Centre has rejected a demand from states that the cost of rehabilitating victims of disasters be met from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and said only relief could be provided from the fund.

"Only immediate relief is funded from the CRF. State Governments want even rehabilitation costs to be met from the fund. This is not possible and we have already told them this," a senior official said here today.

However, the states’ demand for revising CRF norms and other issues are likely to figure prominently at the annual conference of relief commissioners from states and secretaries in-charge of relief and rehabilitation and disaster management to be held here on April 23.

The meeting will review the preparedness of states to deal with floods and cyclones during the monsoon season, according to the agenda paper finalised for the conference.

Other issues likely to be raised by states are better early warning by the Met Department, effective communication to fishermen in the high seas in case of Tsunami and use of satellites to tone up Geographical Information System (GIS).

The Government is contemplating changes in the reporting format for claiming funding from the CRF and National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) to facilitate the speedy allocation of funds after a state files its memorandum, the official said.

Accordingly, the Centre will issue guidelines to states on how to prepare the memorandum.

Clearly defining the roles of the Central and State Governments in disaster management, the Union home ministry has said the State Governments have the basic responsibility for rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.

The Centre supplements the efforts of states by providing financial and logistical support during severe calamities.

A Home Ministry official said the Centre has brought about a change in the approach to disaster management-from a relief-centric approach to a holistic one covering the entire cycle of disaster management encompassing prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, relief and rehabilitation.

About 60 per cent of the country’s land mass is susceptible to earthquakes and over 40 million hectares prone to floods. While 8,000 km of coastline are prone to cyclones, 68 per cent of the country’s geographical area is drought-prone.

The tsunami that struck five coastal states in December 2004 exposed the country’s vulnerability, while incidents of fire, industrial accidents and man-made disasters involving chemical, biological and radioactive materials are additional hazards.

A National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been constituted under the chairmanship of the prime minister to frame policies on disaster management and guidelines to be followed by different Central ministries or departments for preventing disasters or mitigating their effects. (PTI)

World’s first global maritime satellite TV
to be launched soon

Mumbai, Apr 15: The countdown has begun for launch of the world’s first 24-hour dedicated maritime satellite television channel, to be beamed from three payloads, panning all continents.

Making it the first "single point of contact" for the international marine industry, the channel will facilitate global coordination on a single platform and include the entire gamut of marine activities.

MarineBiz TV, a free-to-air channel, is expected to take off officially on May seven in Dubai, at a glittering event to be attended by dignitaries from across the continents and members of the royal family of Dubai.

The launch will be marked by an awards ceremony honouring distinguished personnel from the maritime world.

"An initiative of Dubai-based Aries group, the channel will bring the world to your desktop....And also explore hitherto unknown areas of marine technology, ship building, global navigation, and deep sea activities", according to Aries group chairman Sohan Roy.

"MarinBiz will be available through Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia in phase one and will extend to rest of the world by August, accessible on DTH, and other world-wide networks. Telecasts will be in eight-languages with auto-lingual overlapping," Project Manager Shyam Kurup said from Dubai.

"Hectic preparations are on for the launch, with trial runs already on our website. The teams are in place and almost two months of docu-data and programming have been archived".

"The channel will provide a support platform for developments in marine trade and the point of contact for information linking worldwide developments," Roy said.

"It will redefine the market place for maritime buyers where brand owners are provided with a selling space for their products.

"But overall, the network aims at educating, informing and entertaining marine enthusiasts and all interested...We wish to make the marine industry an exciting, entertaining, progressive and forward thinking arena to be in," the Aries group chairman said.

"With Dubai now taking on the lead role in maritime activity, it was considered appropriate to launch the channel here," Roy said.

According to him, world-over Dubai is being considered a waterfront city with upscale activities linking global networks.

"Aries Marine group, channel sponsors, is a consortium of firms incepted in 1998. It is also one of the largest ship design and consultancy firms in the Middle East," Roy said.

"The award ceremony will also honour alumni of Cochin University of Science and Technology" Kurup said. (PTI)

Ramar Sethu: Swamy claims to have sent
evidence to Kalam

MADURAI, Apr 15: Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy today claimed to have sent fresh evidence on Ramar Sethu (Adams Bridge) to President A P J Abdul Kalam, revealing that it was not a natural geological formation, but a construction for which shoal stones were placed to create the causeway.

Speaking to reporters here,he said the Department of Earth sciences report on the geological and geophysical survey of Ramar Sethu revealed that coral formations hardly occur one to 2.5 metres in length and on loose marine sand.

Swamy, quoting from the report, said most of these coral rock pieces seemed to be rounded pebbles of corals. This appears to show that these coral rock pieces and pebbles have been transported and placed in these areas.

"Since the calcareous sandstones and coral are less dense than normal hard rock and quite compact, these were probably used by the ancients to form a connecting link to Sri Lanka on the higher elevations of the Adams bridge ridge and this analogous to modern day causeway."

He also charged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi with adopting double standards so far as beliefs are concerned. When so much of money was spent to develop Poompuhar Kottam, (place near Karaikal where Kannagi, the Goddess of chastity lived) into a tourist spot, was it also not the Government’s duty to protect Ramar Sethu, which finds mention in ancient Tamil literature, he asked.

The bridge finds mention in the manual of the Madras Presidency administration, wherein it is stated that ‘Adams bridge/Ramar Sethu linked Ceylon with India until 1480 when a storm broke out, causing minor breach through rocks.’

Swamy said no party was opposed to the building of the Sethu Samudhram Project, but the alignment had to be changed.

He alleged that the present alignment has been chosen under international and US pressure. "Palk Straits is fully in Indian and Sri lankan territorial waters. By digging the SSCP, it will become international waters. We cannot claim exclusive rights and any vessels can come."

He said though he wanted to share the evidence with the Tamil Nadu Chief MInister, he was declined the appointment. "There is no doubt that it is a heritage and a historic site and it should be protected as a national monument."

He said computer simulation had shown that some parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala had been protected by the Ramar Sethu barrier when the Tsunami struck the Tamil Nadu coast in December 2004. "A post-Tsumani study should also be carried out on the advantages of Ramar sethu and it should not be disturbed", he said.

Swamy said he would take part in the VHP demonstration at Rameswaram on Apr 18 to protest against the move to ‘damage’ the Ramar Sethu bridge. (PTI)