This seems to senter on the idea that Ram was a god and his monkeys built the bridge. Wouldn’t it be much simpler to think of this as a natural landmark, something that has become important to the populace and shouldn’t be partially destroyed?
Well the first point is what the Hindu nationalist groups are saying,though it was a government led by the BJP itself which gave preliminary approval for the start of the project in 2003.
The problem with calling it important for the local populace is that there is considerable support for this shipping project in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu-it would have significant economic benefits.Ships which earlier had to go around Sri Lanka can cut upto 20 to 30 hours of travel time if a canal comes in.What’s developing is that there has been protests in the North of India,while it’s pretty much silent in the 4 South Indian states.There has usually been localised sentiment among most south Indians that they have been given short shrift from the North as well as Central Governments.Not a nice thing.
Of course, but these people take the Ramayana very seriously, as a sacred text. These people almost started a civil war because they illegally destroyed a mosque built centuries ago over a "sacred" Hindu site.
Hey, I also have a hard time getting my brain around the idea that a polytheistic religion survived into the 21st century.