Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has escalated its confrontation with the Centre, threatening to block Parliament proceedings during the upcoming monsoon session if the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report on Keezhadi excavations is not released. DMK leaders allege that the union government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is deliberately withholding the findings to suppress the cultural and historical significance of the Tamil people.
Addressing a DMK youth wing protest in Sivaganga district on Wednesday, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva said, “Keezhadi yielded strong evidence of an ancient urban Tamil civilisation. Yet the Centre refuses to acknowledge it. This is not just negligence it is an ideological and cultural war on Tamil identity.”
The excavation site at Keezhadi, near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, has produced significant archaeological evidence believed to point to an ancient and advanced Tamil civilisation dating back over 2,500 years. However, the ASI report prepared by archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna who led the excavations has not yet been made public by the central government.
Without naming him directly, Siva also criticised the transfer of Ramakrishna from New Delhi to Noida, calling it “vengeance” for producing a report that challenges the existing historical narrative. He pointed out that despite submitting a scientifically validated report two years ago, the ASI reportedly asked Ramakrishna to redo it a request he refused, stating his original findings conformed to archaeological standards.
“This time, when Parliament begins, Keezhadi will be the first issue we raise. If you do not release the Keezhadi report, we will not allow Parliament to function,” Siva said. He urged party cadres and student wing members to escalate the issue across campuses and communities through methods like “gate meetings.”
The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to begin next month and continue till August, making it a critical period for this growing political flashpoint.
Slogans at the DMK protest included “Keezhadi Tamizhar Thai Madi” (Keezhadi is the mother’s lap of Tamil people), “Meetpom, Tamizhar Thonmam Meetpom” (Let us retrieve the Tamil people’s ancientness), and “Kappom Tamizhar Adayalam” (Let us protect the Tamil identity). Protesters demanded the Centre “immediately recognise” Ramakrishna’s original report without distortion.
Meanwhile, in Chennai, the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) also staged a protest on the same issue. VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) leader Thol Thirumavalavan, addressing the crowd, reiterated the importance of the Keezhadi findings, saying, “Carbon dating has proved the antiquity of Tamil civilisation. The delay in releasing the report is deliberate suppression of this truth.”
Protesters at the DK demonstration carried placards reading “Modi govt, do not distort true history.” The rally ended with a resolution urging the union government to make the ASI findings public and reverse the transfer of Ramakrishna.
This protest comes amid broader accusations by opposition parties in Tamil Nadu that the BJP-led central government is engaging in “cultural invasion” by trying to centralise the national narrative around Sanskritic and Vedic histories, sidelining Dravidian contributions and ancient Tamil identity.
The DMK has consistently accused the Centre of ignoring southern voices, particularly on cultural and linguistic matters. The Keezhadi issue has become a symbolic flashpoint for the larger debate surrounding regional identity, history, and the control of archaeological narratives in India.
Reports indicate that over 500 artifacts were unearthed at Keezhadi, showcasing urban settlement patterns, script usage, and advanced craftsmanship, challenging the established North-centric timeline of Indian civilisation.
As public anger builds across Tamil Nadu, both Parliamentary pressure and street-level mobilisations are being planned. DMK leaders are calling for mass outreach campaigns, especially targeting youth and students, to raise awareness on how Tamil heritage is being “undermined.”
With the political heat around Keezhadi intensifying, the BJP is yet to issue an official response to the protests or address the delay in publishing the ASI report. The issue is expected to be a significant point of contention in the coming weeks, especially as the Parliament prepares for its monsoon session.
ALSO READ:
