Keezhadi soil to be given at Tamil rights meet

Members assembled at the archaeological site right from the morning and collected soil close to the place where the excavation was being carried out. They filled soil in pots and buckets, which had Keezhadi written in Tamil and Brahmi script on them. 

The collection was inaugurated by former CPM MLA, Nanmaran, and state general secretary of TNPWAA, S Venkatesan. They said the soil would be handed over at the conference, to be held in Chennai, which would be received by senior leader of the CPI Nallakannu. He said the Keezhadi excavations revealed that a Tamil civilisation had existed 2,000 years before in that region. 

The Central government was trying to stop the excavations, but the TNPWAA along with CPM had continuously pressured the elected representatives to thwart the attempt.  Hence, the third phase of the work at the site was started. 

The conference would highlight the importance of Tamil civilisation and Keezhadi, said Venkatesan. He also said that for the first time the state government had expressed its opinion about Keezhadi. It had said that a museum would be set up at Sivagangai. 

He demanded the state archaeological department to take over the excavations.  Artists belonging to the TNPWAA staged a drama at the excavation site and carried the soil on their head.