Keezhadi given a miss in Budget

Former union finance minister P Chidambaram was among the critics who had expressed concern over Nirmala Sitharaman not allocating funds for Keezhadi archaeological treasure trove which demonstrated the illustrious history of Dravidian civilisation. Even as the minister listed out Adichanallur along with four other iconic archaeological sites in the country during her budget speech, MPs from the state were heard shouting Keezhadi, reminding her for overlooking one of the most richest archaeological finds in the recent times which attracted widespread public and experts attention.

Unsurprisingly, sidelining of Keezhadi was not the lone irritant to the state MPs who made a hue and cry on social media over the union minister’s Saraswati-Sindhu civilization remark in Parliament.

Madurai MP and Sahitya Akademi award winner Su Venkatesan tweeted: “Union finance minister has widened her area of assault beyond economics to history and culture. By calling Saraswati as Indus valley civilisation, she has attempted to completely change the past excavations and findings. Hindutva forces have been trying to embed Vedic culture on Indus valley civilisation by naming it as Saraswati civilisation. Don’t combine proven history with myths and attempt to project your stories as the history of the nation.” Joining the issue with his Parliamentary colleague, VCK general secretary and Villupuram MP Ravikumar posted on Twitter, “Whenever she referred to Indus Valley Civilisation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called it Saraswati-Indus civilisation in her speech.