Is Ram Setu "National Heritage"? Supreme Court to consider listing Subramanium Swamy's plea seeking recognition

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider listing the plea filed by Bhartiya Janta Party leader Subramanian Swamy seeking direction to declare Ram Setu as a National Heritage Monument.

The matter was mentioned by Swamy before a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud. The bench stated that it will discuss the case inter se and list the matter on an appropriate day.

Swamy has contended that Ram Setu is a monument of national importance as per the constitution in Section 2 read with Section 16 in the Ancient Monuments Act of 1958.

"Between Pamban Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, India, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka, there is a bridge with a series of limestone shoals known as Rama Setu.

According to the ancient Indian Sanskrit epic Ramayana, penned by Valmiki, Lord Rama built the bridge to reach Lanka and save his wife Sita from the Rakshasa ruler, Ravana."

Earlier, on August 3 a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had also said that they'll consider an urgent listing of the matter. However, the bench had also pointed out that it is difficult to list the matter as many judges are unwell.

Swamy had argued that he had won the first round of litigation wherein the Central Government had accepted the existence of Ram Setu.

Case Title: DR. SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY vs. THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU & ANR.