NEW DELHI: In the midst of a political controversy over the Sethusamudram project, the Centre has told the Supreme Court that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Lord Rama or the other characters in Ramayana.

In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rejected the claim of the existence of the "Ramasetu Bridge" in the area where the project was under construction.

The multi-crore rupee project proposes to provide a shorter sea route from Rameswaram to Sri Lanka. Referring to the Ramayana, the affidavit said there is no "historical record" to incontrovertibly prove the existence of the character, or the occurrences of the events, depicted therein. Blasphemous, says BJP Reacting to the Government’s affidavit, the BJP accused the Congress-led UPA government of "blasphemy."

"This is sheer blasphemy," senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra said reacting to an affidavit filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rejecting the claim of the existence of the "Ramsetu" or Adam's bridge in the area where the Sethusamudram project was under construction.

"It's an insult to the Hindu faith. We also wonder why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi have been going for the Dussehra festival if their government does not believe in Lord Rama's existence," he said.

The BJP and other constituents of the Sangh Parivar are opposing the Sethusamudram project saying it would damage an undersea bridge believed to be built by Lord Rama.

"Today, the government in its affidavit says there is no evidence to prove the bridge was built by Lord Rama or that Lord Rama ever existed. This is an attack on Hindu sentiments, a ferocious one," Malhotra said.