Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 19 : Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Minister Sekar Babu has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is conducting the Murugan Conference in Madurai for political gains.
Speaking to ANI, Sekar mentioned that they did not call any politicians and ask for money from any devotees when they conducted the conference.
"The Tamil Nadu state government didn't call any politicians, and we didn't ask for any money from devotees when we conducted the Lord Murugan Conference. They (BJP) are conducting this conference for political gains," Sekar Babu said.
However, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Nainar Nagendran neglected DMK's claims and said that the conference is completely spiritual.
"This conference is completely Spiritual. I am not totally aware whether such a conference has been organised earlier. There is no politics in this... any party can participate in this... We are inviting everyone to this, and it's not even 1% political... I have mentioned earlier calling for unity for alliance, but we haven't received any reply so far from others," Nagendran said on Tuesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, DMK's youth wing, Dravidar Kazhagam, held a protest against the Union government for not recognising the Keeladi excavations report.
This came after the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on June 10 said the reports submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who headed two phases of excavations and unearthed an ancient civilisation in Keeladi in the Sivaganga district, are not technically well supported. "Further scientific studies are required to validate the findings," he said.
Recently, the ASI had asked Ramakrishna to resubmit his report on the excavation after making necessary corrections to make it "more authentic" and to take further action.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday slammed the Centre for not validating an archaeological report that unearthed an ancient civilisation in Keeladi in the Sivaganga district.
"How many obstacles are there for our Tamil race? For thousands of years, we have resisted all of them, establishing the greatness of our heritage with the support of science!" Stalin said in a post on X.
"Yet, some minds still refuse to accept it. It is not the reports that need correction; it is some hearts! Tomorrow, in Veeranoor, Madurai, let us gather in large numbers at the protest organised by DMK Student Wing to express the sentiments of Tamil Nadu to the Union Government! Let us make them correct their ways," he added.