Subramanian Swamy's 'Ram Setu' Plea: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre; seeks response

New Delhi [India], August 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a plea of former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Centre to timely decide his representation seeking to declare 'Ram Setu' as a national monument and of national importance.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked the government to file its response on the plea.
The petition sought national monument status for the 'Ram Setu' bridge and a survey by the Geological Survey of India and the Archaeological Survey of India in respect to 'Ram Setu' as an ancient monument of national importance.
Swamy stated that, in accordance with the Supreme Court's January 2023 order, he had made a representation to the Centre; however, it has not been decided.
The plea stated that Swamy had filed representations with the government on January 27, 2023, and May 15, 2025, but received no response from the government.
He further stated that 'Ram Setu' fulfils all the set criteria for being called an 'Ancient Monument', as it has historical, archaeological, or artistic interest.
The plea stated that Ram Setu fulfils the criteria of an ancient monument and, under Section 3/4 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958, the government is duty-bound to declare all ancient monuments of national importance and national monuments.
He said that the Central government is duty-bound to protect 'Ram Setu' from any form of misuse, pollution or desecration.
Swamy's petition stated, "This archaeological site is a matter of faith and shraddha of people treating Ram-Setu as a pilgrimage."
The Central government had earlier told the Supreme Court that the process to declare 'Ram Setu' a national heritage monument is currently underway in the Ministry of Culture.
The response of the Centre came on Swamy's plea seeking direction to the government to declare 'Ram Setu' as a national monument. The apex court had then asked Swamy to file a representation with the Ministry on the issue.
Swamy had earlier said that the case has been pending for eight years, but the government has not been able to respond to the plea.
In his plea, Swamy had urged the apex court to pass an order and direct "Union of India along with National Monuments Authority (NMA) to declare 'Ram Setu' as an Ancient Monument of National Importance."
Swamy had said that he had already won the first round of the litigation, in which the Centre accepted the existence of 'Ram Setu'. He added that the union minister concerned had called a meeting in 2017 to consider his demand to declare the Setu a national heritage monument, but subsequently, nothing happened.
'Ram Setu' is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. (ANI)