NEW DELHI: Union Minister Jayaram Ramesh has asked Syro Malabar church to withdraw its allegation against him on Western Ghats conservation project and tender an apology to him. If they don’t respond within two weeks he would take legal step against the church.
The Syro Malabar Laity Commission in its mouthpiece, Laity Voice, had alleged that Non Governmental Organisation Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology (Atree) had received Rs 27 crore as foreign funds under the guise of protecting the Western Ghats. It also had said that former environment minister Jairam Ramesh was its board member and the Gadgil report was submitted to the Unesco for garnering funds.
The minister said: “Usually I don’t interfere with such allegations but by making false statements the church was trying to taint my image and that’s why I am getting involved directly. Gadgil report is a democratic report. Many are criticising it without properly reading it. The non-availability of its translations in regional languages might have created many misunderstandings about it. And, Kasturirangan report is highly technical.”
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