Pandiarajan also criticised the DMK for politicising the issue and taking credit for the work done by the AIADMK in the past, especially the five phases of excavations done by the previous government in Keezhadi. Acknowledging that the findings of Keezhadi along the Vaigai River have similarities with the Indus Valley Civilisation, the former minister, however, alleged that the DMK was using this to promote “divisive politics” by bringing in the ideology of Aryans versus Dravidians.

Pandiarajan claimed that of the excavations done in 39 places so far by the Tamil Nadu government, 33 were ordered by the AIADMK regimes since 1980.

He added that the previous AIADMK regime headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami had increased allocations for excavations, appointed 15 archaeologists and initiated work for setting up a museum in Keezhadi. Stating that the slogan “Keezhadi Engal Thaai Madi (Keezhadi is the mother’s lap of Tamils)” was coined by him, he blamed the DMK for hijacking it now.

Countering the claims of Pandiarajan, DMK MLA Ezhilan Naganathan said the previous AIADMK government did not volunteer to set up the museum, but did it only after the order of the Madras High Court.

He said the AIADMK had allotted a meagre Rs 55 lakh for the Keezhadi excavations, while the DMK government has allotted Rs 27 crore so far for the excavations at 38 sites across the state.

Naganathan further alleged that Pandiarajan visited Keezhadi only after it was closed by the union government in 2016. “Moreover, he even called it a ‘Bharat’ civilisation. On what basis did he make that claim?” he asked.

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