BJP govt's attempt to hide Keezhadi findings shows its hatred for Tamil pride, claims CM Stalin
CHENNAI: The BJP government's attempt to not accept the findings of the ancient excavation site of Keezhadi in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district by trying to put out of sight the final report only showed how much hatred it has for Tamil pride, Chief Minister M K Stalin alleged on Thursday.
Despite all the studies backed with scientific results, the Central government, which was trying to hide the cultural pride of the Tamils' by delaying the publication of the Keezhadi excavation report, has failed to produce additional evidence even two years after the final report was submitted, he claimed.
'This is a blatant attack by the BJP government on Tamil culture and pride,' said Stalin in a letter to party workers.
The BJP wanted to destroy the symbol of Dravidian culture by promoting the fictional Saraswati civilisation, which lacked credible evidence, while dismissing the proven antiquity of Tamil culture, the CM said.
The artefacts obtained from the Keezhadi site were subjected to world-class scientific research and proved.
"The BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not accepted it. That is how much hatred for the Tamil pride is embedded in that party's policies," Stalin said.
He further said, "As our leader Kalaignar (late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi) said, the BJP, which looks at Tamil with bitterness and hatred, is continuously trying to hide the glory of Tamil culture unearthed at the Keezhadi excavation site."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
Will Israel-Iran Conflict Impact India's Oil Reserves? What Minister Said
New Delhi: The conflict between Israel and Iran has reached an unprecedented level, with verbal threats and aerial engagement with ballistic, cruise missiles, and drones. The 2025 conflict is the third direct engagement between the two arch-rivals and the most expansive. Oil - A vital natural resource found and produced in abundance in the Middle East is facing a direct impact from the conflict, with a fear of shortage. India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, has assured that there is "No reason to worry about energy count and we have sufficient energy reserves to last for weeks." 'India's Diversified Sources' In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Puri spoke about India's oil reserves and whether the country will face an immediate impact due to the ongoing battle between Iran and Israel. The minister said, "We are constantly monitoring the situation. No reason to worry about energy count. India has sufficient energy reserves to last for weeks." Mr Puri said India has strategically diversified its energy sources and the "global oil supply is much more than ever," adding that "we are monitoring the prices." "For a country dependent over 85% or 85% on crude oil imports for its requirements, yes, the situation as it unfolds globally will impact us, without a doubt. A country that depends 50% on imports for its natural gas requirements will be equally impacted, but having said that, let me say two things. Firstly, there is more oil available on the global market than at any point in research history. Production, new producers are coming to the market. I am not referring just to Guyana. It still has to come on stream, but a big find has been made. More suppliers in the western hemisphere," he said. "The United States is the largest producer, with 13 million barrels produced per day. They are going to add another 1.5 million barrels. Canada, Brazil, etc. So there is more oil coming to the market," he added. India is getting oil from Brazil, Guyana, Canada, the US and others too. Strait Of Hormuz Speculations over an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continue, especially after a former Iranian minister suggested oil tankers and LNG shipments passing through the Strait should go only with Tehran's authorisation. Mr Puri responded and said, "India has options even if Iran seals the Strait of Hormuz." The Strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond. Whether the change in oil prices impacts consumers, Mr Puri said, "On the price side, the Prime Minister has already demonstrated that if a government is conscious of the needs of its consumers, on three occasions, he has brought the central excise down. I am talking about November 2021, May 2022, and March 2024. The central government reduced its excise, and the BJP states also reduced their a result of the central government's action, the price came down by Rs 13 and Rs 16, respectively, for petrol and tensions escalate, will the route be closed, the Straits of Hormuz? Frankly, people agonise about that. But as far as I am aware, in the last 50 years of our history, of the history of this region, the Strait of Hormuz has never been closed." Only one-third of India's oil supply comes from it. Around 38% of India's oil imports come from Russia at roughly 5.6 million barrels a day, and only 1.2 million barrels come through the Strait of Hormuz. The minister said that if the supply from the Strait of Hormuz is impacted, then "India will increase its domestic production, and will not export," adding that it will "also buy from other sources." Mr Puri said the US President has repeatedly said "Drill baby, drill"; he is keen on increasing production to bring oil prices down. The US would not want the strait to be closed; it's not even in China's interest, either. About a fifth of the world's total oil consumption passes through the strait. Between the start of 2022 and last month, roughly 17.8 million to 20.8 million barrels of crude, condensate and fuels flowed through the strait daily, according to data from Vortexa. OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq export most of their crude via the strait, mainly to Asia. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have sought to find other routes to bypass the strait. Iran has threatened over the years to block the strait but has never followed through. Mr Puri explained that the insurance price is going up, which means there will be some additional cost. "In India, 67 million people go to the petrol station for different forms of energy: petrol, diesel, CNG. It's the cost of production of a barrel outside, the cost of freight. Yes, it stands to reason that if any supply route is closed and you have to re-route your supplies, then the cost of freight would go up. The cost of insurance has gone up because insurance companies would like to cover their risk. So far, merchant shipping has not been hit," Mr Puri said.
NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
'Sowing Division': BJP After Karnataka Hikes Housing Quota For Minorities
The Karnataka government has increased reservation for the downtrodden and minorities under various housing schemes from 10 to 15 per cent, inviting a sharp reaction from the BJP, which has accused the Congress of "pushing religious quotas to appease its vote bank". Announcing the decision, which has been cleared by the Siddarmaiah-led Karnataka cabinet, on Thursday, state Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said the government had noted that the number of people without homes is higher among the downtrodden and minorities, and it is committed to providing housing for all. "We are very particular that all should get housing. Housing for all is to be implemented and, right now, we see that the houseless are more among various downtrodden and minorities. We have increased the housing reservation from 10 to 15 per cent, looking at the ground realities," the minister said. Mr Patil stressed that the reservation will be increased for all minority communities, including Christians, Jains and Buddhists. "The government is very particular that the houseless, irrespective of the community they belong to, should get (houses). Housing for all is the government's resolve," he added. Launching a scathing attack, BJP leader Amit Malviya said the decision was unconstitutional and accused the Congress of "sowing the seeds of division" and "ripping apart the social fabric of Karnataka". "This is brazen. Blatantly illegal and unconstitutional. There can be no reservation on the basis of religion - the Constitution is unambiguous on this. Yet, the Congress government in Karnataka is hell-bent on pushing religious quotas to appease its vote bank. This isn't governance, it's dangerous social engineering," he wrote on X. This is brazen. Blatantly illegal and unconstitutional. There can be no reservation on the basis of religion — the Constitution is unambiguous on this. Yet, the Congress government in Karnataka is hell-bent on pushing religious quotas to appease its vote bank. This isn't… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 19, 2025 "Congress is determined to sow the seeds of division, polarise communities, and rip apart the social fabric of Karnataka - all for short-term political gain. Karnataka deserves better," he added. Earlier Row The state had seen another controversy over reservation earlier this year, after the Assembly had cleared the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, providing 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts. The BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) had termed the Bill unconstitutional and sent a petition to the governor, claiming it would polarise society. In April, Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot sent the Bill to President Droupadi Murmu, saying that the Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion.
India Today
34 minutes ago
- India Today
DMK questions Yogi Adityanath, Pawan Kalyan's attendance at Murugan conference
The ruling DMK government on Thursday once again criticised the BJP over the upcoming Murugan conference in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district, alleging that the event is designed to sow divisions among people in the name of religion, race and Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister PK Sekar Babu questioned the relevance of political leaders from other states attending the event, particularly Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, both of whom are scheduled to visit Madurai for the conference on June 22. advertisement'What is the relationship between Andhra's Pawan Kalyan and Tamil Nadu? What is the relationship between UP's Yogi Adityanath and Tamil Nadu?' Sekar Babu asked. 'Temples are to propagate justice and discipline. But the conference by these people is aiming to create divisions based on race, language and religion. I feel such conferences are not needed. If they want to conduct one, let them,' he said. The Minister's remarks come ahead of the Murugan Devotees Conference, scheduled for June 22, with the ruling DMK dismissing it as a politically motivated gathering and the BJP defending it as a celebration of Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a party meeting in Madurai on June 8, had called on devotees to attend the conference in large numbers to display unity. He had also accused the DMK of undermining religious sentiments, linking the controversy to the status of Thiruparankundram Hill, one of the six sacred abodes (Padai Veedu) of the deity Babu had then also dismissed the BJP-backed conference as a political stunt. 'This is a pure Sanghi and political conference. We conducted the conference where devotees of God Murugan from 27 countries participated. We did not plan to bring a crowd, seek money, arrange 2000 buses, but even then, 7 to 8 lakh people attended. But they planned this conference with the intention to use it to divide people in the name of religion,' he had said. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
