'Difficult to pinpoint Ram Setu': Govt's statement in Parliament triggers BJP vs Congress

Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that it is difficult to pinpoint the exact structure of Ram Setu but there is some kind of indication.

Union minister of state Jitendra Singh's statement to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that it is difficult to pinpoint the bridge known as Ram Setu has triggered a war of words between the Congress and the BJP. Jitendra Singh was replying to a question by BJP MP Kartikeya Sharma who asked the minister whether any efforts are being made for scientific assessment of India's vedic past. A question specific to Ram Setu was also asked by the MP

Jitendra Singh on Thursday said it is difficult to pinpoint the exact structure of Ram Setu. (PTI)

"....we have certain limitations in discovering Ram Setu because the history dates back to more than 18,000 years and the bridge was about 56 kilometres long," the minister said.

"To some extent, through space technology, we have been able to discover pieces and islands, some kind of limestone shoals which of course can’t be accurately said to be remnants or parts of a bridge but there is certain continuity," the minister said.

"So, what I am trying to say in short is that it is difficult to actually pinpoint the exact structure that existed there, but there is some kind of an indication, direct or indirect, that those structures have existed," Jitendra Singh said.

Congress leader Pawan Khera shared a newspaper clip of the report and urged all 'bhakts' to listen to the government's 'admission' that there is no 'proof' of Ram Setu.

BJP leader Rajyavardhan Rathore said when the Congress was in power, it denied the existence of Ram Setu. "Instead of twisting statements to hide their faces, Congress should listen to how much work is being done by Modi government #Ramsetu and on ancient Dwarka under the sea," the BJP leader tweeted.

Ram Setu is a trail of limestones connecting Tamil Nadu's Pamban island to Sri Lanka's Mannar island. It is called Ram Setu as it is believed that a bridge was built by Lord Ram's army while he was marching to Lanka to rescue Sita.