Chennai, Dec 22 (AHN) The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP has issued a sharp criticism of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over his recent speech in Tirunelveli on December 21, alleging that his remarks amounted to divisive rhetoric and an attempt to fuel separatist sentiment.

According to the BJP, the Chief Minister’s statement that the Union Government was blocking research into Tamil antiquity and that Tamils would not be defeated in a “two-thousand-year-old fight” was an irresponsible assertion that portrayed the Centre as hostile towards Tamil identity.

Party spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad described the comments as unnecessarily confrontational, arguing that they undermined national unity and violated the spirit of cooperative federalism.

The BJP contends that Stalin’s reference to an “ancient battle” was a calculated attempt to generate hostility against the Central government by framing archaeological research as a cultural conflict. The party pointed out that archaeological oversight falls under the Union List in the Constitution, and therefore, national agencies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have a mandate to conduct scientific excavations.

Prasad further argued that Stalin’s criticism of Keeladi excavations was misleading. He said the ASI had initiated the excavations in 2015 and unearthed significant findings related to the Sangam era, while later phases were undertaken by the state archaeology department.

He added that delays were due to scientific procedures rather than political interference, and pointed to earlier allegations of procedural lapses and lack of coordination at the state level.

The BJP also rejected Stalin’s dismissal of ongoing research into the Saraswati River civilisation. The party spokesperson cited geological surveys and remote sensing evidence supporting the existence of a paleo-river system, arguing that such findings contribute to a broader understanding of India’s civilizational history rather than undermining any regional heritage.

The party highlighted what it called the contradictory nature of Stalin’s stance, pointing out that he had recently inaugurated the Porunai Museum—a major project celebrating Tamil archaeological discoveries—yet continued to project the Centre as adversarial.

According to the BJP, such remarks suggested a political motive rather than cultural pride. Calling the Chief Minister’s comments “highly provocative,” the BJP demanded an immediate retraction and urged the Tamil Nadu government to adopt a collaborative approach with Central agencies.

The party reiterated its commitment to safeguarding regional heritage within the framework of national unity, maintaining that India’s diverse cultures form part of an integrated civilisational identity.