Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan has condemned Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over his recent remarks alleging that the eagerly awaited Keeladi excavation report was drafted under political pressure from the previous Tamil Nadu government.
Calling the statement a serious accusation during the press meet here on Tuesday, Mr. Venkatesan demanded that the Union Minister substantiate his claims with concrete evidence rather than resorting to political rhetoric
He posed a series of questions to the Union government regarding the timeline and handling of the excavations.
Highlighting that the AIADMK government was in power in Tamil Nadu both when archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna initiated the Keeladi excavations and when he was subsequently transferred, he asked if the Union implied those initial works also bore a political connection.
He also asked if the Union government was questioning the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which had specifically ordered that Amarnath Ramakrishna author the final report.
Pointing out that over three years have passed since the report was submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Mr. Venkatesan criticised the shifting explanations offered by the Centre—ranging from courtroom timelines and parliamentary committee reviews to the formation of expert evaluation panels.
He stressed that Keeladi’s findings are built on robust multidisciplinary scientific methodologies, including chronometric dating, stratigraphy, metallurgy, and archaeobotany.
If the report contains errors, he stated, the Union government must explicitly state which section is wrong and provide scientific evidence to back it, emphasising that making political accusations is not a scientific response.
He further added that Keeladi has historically proven the existence of an advanced, prosperous urban civilisation in South India predating the Gangetic plain civilization.
Mr. Venkatesan claimed that the reluctance to release the report stems from ideological discomfort, adding, that Keeladi challenges the narrative that Vedic civilisation was India’s sole ancient source.
Because the archaeological evidence disrupts this timeline, he charged that the Centre has continuously stalled its publication under various pretexts.
Mr. Venkatesan demanded the immediate release of Amarnath Ramakrishna’s excavation report, warning that attempts to suppress historical truths through bureaucratic delays and political narratives will not succeed.
Published – September 22, 2026 07:59 pm IST
