Chennai, Mar 3:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged the Central Government to immediately grant permission for archaeological excavations at eight sites, including the significant Keezhadi excavation site, warning that further delay would jeopardize crucial research and lead to wastage of funds already allocated by the state.
Stalin highlighted that the Tamil Nadu government had, last year, sought approval from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out investigations at 12 locations across the state. While permissions for four projects have already been cleared, the final approvals for the remaining eight sites are still pending with the central authorities.
In a statement posted on his social media account, Stalin said that proposals for these excavations—covering Keezhadi, Adichanallur, Nagapattinam and other historically important locations—were submitted as early as July 2025 and discussed in an ASI meeting in November. However, eight months on, the approvals have yet to be finalized.
The Chief Minister stressed that archaeological fieldwork in Tamil Nadu is restricted to the dry season from January to July each year. Any delay beyond this window could halt excavation activities due to the approaching monsoon, delaying research and effectively wasting the funds already set aside for the 2025–26 season.
He questioned the reluctance of the central administration, accusing the BJP-led government in New Delhi of ignoring Tamil cultural heritage. “The antiquity of Tamil civilisation does not diminish India’s history—it only enriches it,” Stalin wrote, urging that approval be granted without further delay so that history can speak for itself.
The Tamil Nadu government has allocated ₹7 crore in its budget specifically for these excavation projects.
Stalin’s appeal comes amid broader debates over the importance of archaeological research in the state, particularly in shedding light on ancient Tamil cultures and their place in India’s civilisational narrative.
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