Chennai, Dec 21 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Union government for keeping the Adichanallur archaeological museum project on hold, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit the Keeladi and Porunai museums to understand the antiquity and richness of Tamil civilisation.

Addressing a public programme in Tirunelveli, Stalin said he took immense pride in being a Tamil, adding that the inauguration of the Porunai Archaeological Museum at Reddiarpatti on Saturday night was a milestone in taking ancient Tamil culture to the global stage.

He said the BJP-led Centreâ??s apathy towards Adichanallur stood in stark contrast to Tamil Naduâ??s efforts to preserve and promote its heritage.

The Chief Minister also strongly criticised the Union government for what he described as a "systematic dismantling" of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

He alleged that the scheme, a vital source of livelihood for rural families, was being undermined by reducing central funding and pushing states to bear the burden.

"From full central funding, Tamil Nadu is now forced to shoulder 40 per cent of the cost. This is a historic blunder," he said, announcing that the DMK would launch statewide protests against the move on December 24.

Taking on AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Stalin questioned the Opposition leaderâ??s silence on the issue.

"He calls himself a genuine farmer, yet he stands with the NDA and has no concern for farmers affected by this decision," he said.

Highlighting achievements of the DMK government, Stalin said welfare schemes such as the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to women heads of households and the free bus travel initiative had significantly improved lives across Tamil Nadu.

In Tirunelveli district alone, 1.83 lakh women have benefitted from the free bus travel scheme since its launch in 2021, he noted.

Despite political hostility from the Centre, Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu continued to excel and remains a model for other states.

The DMK chief expressed confidence that the party-led front would secure victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Earlier in the day, Stalin inaugurated 33 development works worth Rs 235.95 crore and laid the foundation stone for 11 projects costing Rs 356.59 crore. He also distributed welfare assistance of Rs 101.49 crore to 45,477 beneficiaries and flagged off 15 new bus services.

Speaker M. Appavu, Ministers K.N. Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu, and E.V. Velu, Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab, and District Collector R. Sukumar were among those present.

/IANS