PTI

Mumbai, Oct 5: Dubbing the controversy over the Sethusamudram Project as an issue of 'Ram verses Rome', the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has challenged the UPA government to go ahead with the multi-crore ship canal venture without damaging the Ram Setu.

"If the UPA government cannot do it, then let it give the contract of the project to Gujarat government. We are ready to take the responsibility of executing the project without damaging Ram Setu," the BJP leader asserted here.

Modi was speaking at a gathering at Shanmukhananda Hall where he was felicitated as the 'Best Chief Minister' by Vande Mataram Foundation, a social organisation, on Wednesday night.

Scoffing at the manner in which the centre filed an affidavit doubting the existence of lord Rama and then suddenly withdrew it because of public outcry, Modi said, "Any person who files an affidavit and suddenly withdraw can land in jail. This is what should happen to those people who filed such an affidavit."

At the function, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray shared the dais with senior Maharasthra BJP leaders Gopinath Munde and Nitin Gadkari, indicating a thaw between the saffron parties, whose ties had strained in run up to the July presidential poll.

Modi was presented with a 'Vijay Stambh', a pyramid shaped pillar as a memento and a citation that eulogised his contribution as the Chief Minister.