Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Sunday criticised the BJP-led Union government for trying to look for an “imaginary Saraswathi river civilization”, while ignoring scientific proof that the state has published from various archaeological excavations since the DMK formed the government in 2021, terming it a 2000-year-old struggle for Tamils.
Ahead of the 2026 election, Stalin is going on the offensive accusing the BJP of trying to prevent results of studies on Tamil history from being published and running a central government which is against the interests and welfare of its citizens.
Stalin invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit the Porunai Museum which he inaugurated a day ago showcasing artefacts unearthed from excavation sites at Adichanallur, Sivagalai and Korkai, in present day Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu.
“Their intent is clear. No research that proves the antiquity of Tamils should take place, and even if it does, the findings should never come out in the public domain,” Stalin said speaking in Tirunelveli district during his two-day visit. “Those who keep searching for an imaginary Saraswati river civilization refuse to see the evidence that we have placed right in front of their eyes. This is a struggle of more than 2,000 years. We will not lose this fight. We will continue to present evidence.” Stalin said that to take this history to the people they had established the Porunai Museum, covering 54,296 square ft built at a cost of ₹33 crore after the success of the Keeladi museum in Sivagangai district established in 2023.
He then invited the Prime Minister and the finance minister to visit the two museums in Tamil Nadu. “Only if you come and see will you understand how ancient Tamil civilization truly is,” Stalin said.
{{/usCountry}}He then invited the Prime Minister and the finance minister to visit the two museums in Tamil Nadu. “Only if you come and see will you understand how ancient Tamil civilization truly is,” Stalin said.
{{/usCountry}}Sivakalai put itself on the world map in January when the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) announced that carbon dating of artefacts from the site showed iron usage dates back 5,300 years. This is the oldest known date for the Iron Age worldwide.
Sivakalai first came into the spotlight in 2021 after carbon dating results of rice husks found in a burial urn here concluded that it was 3,200 years old by Beta Analytic Lab in the US. Armed with this Stalin had declared that the state government would continue scientific efforts to prove India’s history should be rewritten from the Tamil landscape.
The chief minister announced that the DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) who are part of the INDIA bloc will protest against the MGNREGS being renamed with a Hindi title.