The ambitious Rs 2427-crore Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project has once again hit a political wall with the expert committee formed to look into concerns raised by diverse sections on the project committing the same mistake that sparked off the controversy in the first place. It has quoted the work of two German scholars calling the Ramayana a “fairy tale,” just months after its affidavit that there was no proof that Ram existed touched off a political storm.

It’s learnt that the two-volume report of the 10-member committee has included a quote from the work of two German scholars from the 1880s which states: “The narration of the Indian epic (Ramayana) appears to us nothing more than a pious fairy tale without factual basis.”

This has put the government in a spot not only forcing it to seek more time from the Supreme Court but also delaying decision on accepting the report despite pressure from Shipping Minister T R Baalu.

Sources, however, said Culture Minister Ambika Soni is unwilling to accept the report and this sense is shared among senior Congress ministers as the contents will only ignite another controversy.

Further, the committee, while concluding that the structure in question was a natural formation and not man-made, concedes that “no archaeological study” has been conducted to verify the same. This has only complicated matters with the Culture Ministry being extra cautious now and pointing out that a sensitive issue of this nature cannot be brushed aside without a proper study.

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