AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Chennai: ChenbKeeladi, the Sangam Era archaeological site near Madurai, has not only become a flashpoint between the ruling DMK and its ideological opponent, the BJP, but has also isolated the saffron party and its Dravidian ally, the AIADMK, from other political parties in Tamil Nadu on this sensitive and emotional issue.
The BJP-led Union Government’s demand for “more evidence” regarding the period assigned to Keeladi (8th Century BCE to 3rd Century CE), based on archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna’s findings -- who has been transferred three times in just nine months by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-- along with the AIADMK’s reluctance to take a clear stand, has drawn sharp criticism from the DMK, its allies, and other political parties.
Keeladi is an urban settlement on the banks of the River Vaigai which existed 2,600 years ago, according to AMS dating of an artefact found during the fourth phase of excavations, making it contemporaneous with the Gangetic Valley Civilization of North India.
Though the BJP has faced accusations of trying to hide Tamil pride and culture ever since the ASI halted excavations in 2017 after transferring Ramakrishna -- whose team unearthed 5,800 artefacts during the first two phases -- the issue escalated in May when the Central agency asked the archaeologist to “rework” his report.
The BJP’s justification of the ASI’s stand and the “punishment” of Ramakrishna for being vocal and refusing to revise his 982-page report has given the DMK yet another tool to corner the saffron party, with its ally AIADMK caught in the crossfire ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
AIADMK and BJP are the only parties that have yet to criticize the Centre, even as actor Vijay’s TVK and BJP ally PMK have joined the DMK and its alliance partners in condemnation.
Keeladi joins a list of issues against the AIADMK-BJP alliance being raised by the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), such as alleged Hindi imposition, the likely reduction of Parliament seats from Tamil Nadu, and the non-release of Central funds for the state.
With cultural and linguistic pride forming the core of politics in Tamil Nadu, where such issues strongly resonate with voters, the DMK has branded the AIADMK as merely an arm of the BJP in “erasing” Tamil glory and being “anti-Tamil" and is likely to up its ante as the election approaches.
Despite the raging controversy, the AIADMK finally fielded former archaeology minister ‘MaFoi’ K Pandiarajan to take credit for launching excavations in Keeladi and other locations, albeit quietly and only after the DMK organized an agitation in Madurai against the BJP and the Centre.
To its credit, it was under the AIADMK government that the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) took over excavations in Keeladi from the ASI in 2018. However, the party has faced criticism for delaying the release of excavation reports and allegedly downplaying their significance to please the BJP.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s silence on the issue has also drawn criticism, which the DMK has used to attack the party. Last week, Chief Minister M K Stalin issued a strong statement accusing the Union Government of “suppressing” Tamil culture and pride, asserting that the DMK’s struggle on this matter will continue until Tamil cultural pride is firmly established.
Senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh told DH that the insistence on watering down the Keeladi report can easily be seen as yet another tool to “subjugate” Tamils by the “Aryan rule in Delhi.”
“The AIADMK will find it increasingly difficult to defend its ‘Hindi’ partner (BJP). The Keeladi findings and the resultant report by an acknowledged archaeologist have impressed and influenced a significant segment of Tamil literati and are bound to resonate with the masses during the poll campaign,” he added.
In recent years, Keeladi has become a symbol of Tamil pride, with ten phases of excavation -- taken over by the TNSDA from the fourth season -- yielding over 18,000 artefacts. This has prompted renewed public interest in archaeology, coupled with the DMK government’s emphasis on the ancient glory of Tamils.