CHENNAI: The Union Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, has triggered sharp political reactions in Tamil Nadu over the exclusion of the Keezhadi excavation site from the Centre’s heritage and cultural tourism development plan.
In her Budget speech, the Finance Minister announced a major initiative to develop 15 archaeological sites across the country into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations. The list included Gujarat's Lothal and Dholavira, Haryana's Rakhigarhi, Uttar Pradesh's Sarnath and Hastinapur, Leh Palace, and Tamil Nadu's Adichanallur.
The initiative proposes opening excavated landscapes to the public through curated walkways and introducing immersive storytelling technologies at conservation laboratories and interpretation centres. However, the omission of Keezhadi from the list has drawn widespread criticism.
With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in the coming months, the Budget has come under scrutiny. Political leaders and Tamil activists expressed disappointment, pointing out that while Adichanallur has received attention, the historically significant Keezhadi site continues to struggle for recognition.
They reiterated their long-standing demand that the Union government release the Keezhadi excavation research report.
Reacting to the announcement, CPM leader and Madurai Lok Sabha MP Su Venkatesan told DT Next that the BJP-led Union government had failed to fulfil even its earlier promises.
Three years ago, the BJP announced that a museum to display the findings of the Adichanallur excavations would be built, but it has yet to materialise. Before attempting to promote Adichanallur internationally, the Centre should first complete what it had promised, he said.
He further alleged that the Centre had consistently betrayed Tamil Nadu on the Keezhadi issue. The demand was only for the Union government to release the Keezhadi research paper, which, he said, was what the Tamil people wanted.
The exclusion has intensified the political debate in the State, with activists describing it as a deliberate neglect of Tamil heritage.