Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) alleged that the Union government appears to be attempting to “suppress” the ancient Tamil civilisation unearthed at Keeladi, while actively searching for a “non-existent Sanskrit civilisation.”
Mr. Vaiko’s remarks came against the backdrop of Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s recent observation that the reports submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who headed the first two phases of excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district, are not technically well-supported and that further scientific studies are required to validate the findings.
In a statement, Mr. Vaiko said the BJP government at the Centre is making every effort to “suppress” the glory of Keeladi. “The BJP and RSS that seek to impose the dominance of Hindi and Sanskrit culture under the guise of ‘one language, one culture,’ are opposed to the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of India… It is the duty of the Tamil people to resist these fascist forces that attempt to suppress the Tamil language and the ancient history of the Tamil people through various conspiracies,” the MDMK leader said.
Published – June 11, 2025 03:38 pm IST
