Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the central government, saying it is attacking Tamil identity by questioning the archaeological findings from the Keezhadi excavation site. He said the Centre is trying to hide the truth of Tamil history because it does not match its ideology.

"It's an open attack on Tamil culture. The BJP that promotes an imaginary Saraswati civilisation, without scientific evidence, cannot tolerate the scientifically proven antiquity of Tamil civilisation," Mr Stalin said.

The Chief Minister said the Centre returned the Keezhadi findings and asked for more proof. He believes this is not a genuine request but a political act based on cultural bias.

He also pointed out that the artefacts found at Keezhadi were studied by top laboratories in Pune, Bengaluru, the US, and Italy. These tests confirmed their historical value. Yet, according to Stalin, the BJP refuses to accept the truth.

"Even though excavations began during the AIADMK rule, they are now silent. A former AIADMK minister even tried to subsume Keezhadi into the so-called culture of Bharat, just to please the BJP," he alleged.

Findings challenge old beliefs about Indian history

MK Stalin said the scientific studies have shown that Tamil culture used iron as early as 5,300 years ago. This challenges the idea that the oldest civilisations were only in northern India.

"Neither the Prime Minister nor any BJP leader has acknowledged this, not even in a tweet. Their silence speaks about the deep-rooted prejudice against the Tamils in their ideology," he said.

He also criticised BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu, saying they were ignoring their own language and culture just for political benefit.

Mr Stalin said the DMK would not stop protesting “until it echoes in Delhi”.

A day before, the DMK student wing protested in Madurai and Chennai. DMK MP Trichy Siva said, "We will stall Parliament until the Centre releases the full findings from Keezhadi."

The central government also recently transferred Amarnath Ramakrishna, the archaeologist who led the Keezhadi excavation. This move has added to the anger.

Keezhadi is an important archaeological site on the banks of the Vaigai River in Sivaganga district. The discoveries made here suggest that an advanced Tamil civilisation existed thousands of years ago. It has now become a major point of conflict between the DMK and the BJP.

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