September 13, 2007	Thursday	Sha'aban 30, 1428

NEW DELHI: Thousands of right-wing Hindus launched protests across India on Wednesday against a plan to create a sea lane which they say would destroy the links between a revered string of islands.

The half-billion-dollar project would allow ships to travel around the southern tip of India without having to skirt around Sri Lanka as well, saving more than 30 hours.

But the Vishva Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu Council, said the plan would destroy Adam’s Bridge, a string of small islands mentioned in the Hindu epic the “Ramayana.” According to the story, the geographical feature was built by an army of monkeys led by the Hindu deity Ram to recapture his wife from a demon king in Sri Lanka.

“Today’s demonstration is in order to protest that Ram’s achievements — which millions of Hindus believe in — did not happen,” said Jain, who was leading a protest in the Indian capital.

“They are bent on breaking this bridge.” Large protests were reported from the city of Jammu to the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Work on the project began two years ago, but the Supreme Court has banned the government from cutting through the islands for the time being.

Environmentalists have also criticised the project, saying that the required dredging of the sea bed will destroy one of the world’s richest biosphere reserves.—AFP