DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on Thursday (June 19, 2025), described the BJP-led Union government’s decision to not publish the Keeladi excavation report on the grounds that it lacked sufficient evidence was an “onslaught on Tamil culture.”
In a letter to party cadre, he said the demonstration organised by the DMK’s student wing in Madurai to condemn the BJP government had resonated across the State. He added that the party would not rest until Delhi recognised the greatness and antiquity of Tamil civilization.
Keeladi excavation report of archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna: Why are Centre and T.N. government at loggerheads?
Recalling late DMK leader M. Karunanidhi’s warning that there was a risk of suppressing the discovery of a Harappan-like civilization if the Keeladi findings were not protected, Mr. Stalin said, “As our leader warned, the BJP government, which consistently views Tamils and the Tamil language with hostility, is trying to suppress and bury the findings from Keeladi.”
He also criticised the AIADMK, a BJP ally, for “remaining silent” on the issue. “What can we expect from Mr. Palaniswami, who has pledged the AIADMK to the BJP?” he asked.
