‘Minister, functionaries with no knowledge of archaeology cannot comment on expert's findings'

The Hindu

a day ago

'When the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna has released a detailed report on the ancient civilization in Keezhadi based on the excavations from his official position, how can a Union Minister and party members who possess no knowledge about the subject can comment on the expert's knowledge and findings,' questioned Madurai-based archaeologist C. Santhalingam.
He was speaking at a protest conducted by Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association here on Wednesday to demand the release of the excavation reports of Keezhadi.
Mr. Santhalingam said that if the Union government was sceptical about the archaeologist's expertise, they should appoint a team to verify the facts of the report.
Impugning the archaeologist's knowledge and accusing him of possessing a regional mindset was not something a government should do to impose its ideology and politics, he stated.
The recent political developments staged by BJP were contrary to their own position when a senior ASI Director General released a book on Adichanallur excavation findings, he said.
While Keezhadi excavations have unearthed the history 100 years after the Adichanallur findings, how could one accept Adichanallur and not accept something that happened after that period, he questioned.
'One of the oldest hero stones in Puliman Kombai with Brahmi script inscriptions dating back to 3rd to 4th century BCE proves the literary knowledge possessed by the Tamils, the politically motivated statements of the Union government and BJP leaders show their lack of scientific temper,' Mr. Santhalingam observed.
The Indian people before the arrival of British believed that the Mahabharata and Ramayana were the only history of India, he said.
'If not for the British, who carried out an extensive research across the country and brought the history of Brahmi and languages evolved from that and showed the world a ruler named Ashoka, most of the truth would have been shadowed by the lies of rulers and politicians,' he added.
Though the current protests might look like one between parties, it was actually the protest between Aryans and Dravidians which goes back to 2,000 years ago, he stated.
Even in regions surrounding Madurai, the Jain beds in several hillocks were commonly known as Panja Pandava Padukaigal (a term linked to Mahabharata) to people, he said.
'Only because of the evidence-based research and study the places are being known as Jain beds which were used by Jains as rest place,' he stated.
Madhukur Ramalingam also spoke during the protest.