Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 17 : BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Sunday hailed the repatriation of 11th-century Chola-era copper plates from the Netherlands, framing the event as a monumental victory for India's cultural resurrection while taking sharp aim at the Congress.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the restitution of the Chola Copper Plates to India, thanking him for "safeguarding, protecting and fostering Bharat's rich cultural heritage."
Speaking with ANI, Kesavan recognised it as a significant moment of pride for the nation, especially the Tamil culture. Highlighting PM Modi's committment to India's civilisational roots, he said that the plates have restored India's cultural heritage.
He further slammed the former PM Jawaharlal Nehru-led government for allegedly disrespecting the sacred Sengol, which Kesavan described as a significant part of Chola culture, like the copper plates. He criticised the former PM for cosigning the Sengol to a museum and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for mocking and boycotting its installation in the Parliament.
In his address, Kesavan drew a direct parallel between the newly returned copper plates and the Sengol, the sacred Chola-era sceptre installed in the new Parliament building, using the opportunity to criticise the Congress party's historical handling of indigenous symbols.
"The successful repatriation of the 11th-century Chola era copper plates back to India firmly reiterates Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's commitment to our civilizational roots and this also illustrates Prime Minister Modi ji's profound respect for Tamil tradition. What Modi ji has achieved is not just a return of artefacts, but Modi ji has restored and reclaimed our rich civilizational heritage and culture. These copper plates are a significant part of Chola culture, like the sacred Sengol, but we saw how Nehru's Congress demeaned and disrespected the sacred Sengol by consigning it to a museum, and later Rahul Gandhi's Congress mocked it and even boycotted its installation in Parliament. In stark contrast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji resurrected and restored the glory of the sacred Sengol by giving it primacy in Parliament," he said.
The returned copper plates are considered invaluable epigraphical sources, providing crucial insights into the Chola Dynasty's governance and legacy. According to historians, these artefacts offer evidence regarding detailed records of land grants, taxation, and local governance, genealogies of the Chola kings and major political milestones and documentation of the empire's extensive trade and naval expeditions across Southeast Asia.
He highlighted the Prime Minister's long-standing focus on Chola history, noting that PM Modi was the first Prime Minister to visit the ancient Chola capital, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, to participate in the 1,000-year commemoration of Rajendra Chola's victorious maritime expedition.
"These 11th-century copper plates of the Chola era are an invaluable inheritance and also evidence of the Chola rule, their administration, their history and their maritime prowess. It is important and pertinent to recall here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji was the first Prime Minister to visit the Chola capital of Gangaikonda Cholapuram to participate in the thousandth-year commemoration of the victorious maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola to Southeast. We have seen how, in the past, when it comes to Tamil pride, language and culture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has been extremely respectful, whether it is the installation of the sacred Sengol, and we saw how Thiruvalluvar centres are being opened across the world, the inauguration of Kashi Tamil Sangamam and declaring Mahakavi Bharathiyar's birthday as National Language Day. Modi ji has been unwavering in his commitment to respecting Tamil culture and this repatriation of these copper plates once again reiterates Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's commitment to connect our people back to our tradition. We thank our Prime Minister for safeguarding, protecting and fostering Bharat's rich cultural heritage and legacy," he stated.
The Leiden University Library in the Netherlands on Saturday restituted the 11th-century Chola Copper Plates to the Government of India in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten.
An official release said that Chola Copper Plates, a set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates, are royal charters issued by Chola Kings during the 11th century CE.
These charters formalise the gifting of Anaimangalam village to a Buddha vihara called Chulamanivarma-vihara in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The Plates contain texts written in Tamil and Sanskrit.
The restitution of these Chola copper plates assumes significance since they are not merely artefacts of the past, but an invaluable story of India's heritage and civilisation, the release said. The reinstatement of these plates has a deep emotional appeal for the people of India.
PM Modi described the return as a joyous moment for every Indian.
"A joyous moment for every Indian! Chola Copper Plates, dating back to the 11th century, will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands. Took part in the ceremony for the same in the presence of Prime Minister Rob Jetten," he said in a post on X.
The Chola Copper Plates are a set of 21 large plates and three small plates, and largely contain texts in Tamil, one of the most beautiful languages of the world.
PM Modi thanked the Netherlands government and Leiden University in particular, where the Copper Plates were kept since the mid-19th century.