Indian archaeologists suspended for blasphemy

Two directors of the Archaeological Survey of India have been suspended because of an affidavit they prepared on the Ram Setu (a narrow land bridge between India and Sri Lanka) canal project was deemed blasphemous by the government, following lobbying by Hindu groups (Hindustan Times, 15.09.07). The archaeologists denied that the bridge had been built by the Lord Ram, stating instead that it is a natural formation.

The suspension of the archaeologists demonstrates the power that the Hindutva movement still has over politics in India, despite the BJP losing power in 2004. At one point the Culture Minister Ambika Soni offered to resign over the affair, but in the end it was the Archaeological Survey, itself a subset of the Culture Ministry, that took the bullet.

archaeology hindutva indiaarchaeology hindutva india Published: 9.15.07 / 8pm
Tags: archaeology, hindutva, india