Madurai Bench of the Madras HC questions ASI on transfer of archaeologist

Madurai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday questioned the Archaeological Survey of India why they have transferred the superintending archeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna who had successfully conducted the first two phase of excavation at Keezhadi near Madurai'.

Ramakrishna, had unearthed 5300 artifacts at Keezhadi during the first two phase of the excavation which proved to the world that urban civilization had existed in Tamil Nadu since the Sangam age. ASI had transferred him to Guwahati Circle of ASI in March and appointed P S Sirraman in his place.

The ASI also had decided to shift the antiquities to its head office at Bengaluru (the Keezhadi Heritage place comes under Bengaluru circle) to study them.

Contending this, advocate Kanimozhi Mathi, from Chennai filed a petition in the court seeking to direct the ASI not to shift the artifacts. She also pointed out the situation was also not conducive in Bengaluru. Instead she requested to set up a site museum to preserve the antiquities in the same place as local people have also expressed their willingness to give their land to set up the Museum.

When the case came up for hearing today before a division bench comprising Justices A Selvam and N Athinathan, the advocate Kanimozhi Mathi said that the ASI should have allowed Amarnath Ramakrishna to continue the excavation for the five years following the ASI act. He was allowed to conduct the excavation only for two years, she pointed out.

The court then questioned the ASI why they had transferred Ramakrishna who had performed well in the excavation site. Taking a serious note on his transfer, the court questioned the petitioner of not filing a separate writ petition on the change of the superintending archaeologist.

Responding to this, the Central government pleader appeared for ASI informed the court that archaeologists had been transferred across the country following the ASI transfer policy. The ASI then requested the court to allow them to shift the artifacts to Bengaluru to conduct further study.

The judges questioned the ASI why they can't bring experts from Bengaluru and conduct the study at the excavation site in Keezhadi and posted the next hearing on 23th June.