The recent statement by NPP MP Ilankumaran, claiming that the Elephant Pass salt field (Aanaiyiravu Uppaalam) was renamed “Raja Lunu” after a Sinhala king, is an insult to Tamil history and identity. This attempt to rewrite the historical narrative is nothing but a continuation of Sinhala Buddhist supremacist ideology wrapped in the disguise of so-called progressive politics.
Let us remind this MP and the entire NPP leadership: There were no Sinhalese in Sri Lanka when Tamils had thriving kingdoms with inscriptions, temples, and trade routes across the island. Elephant Pass, known as Aanaiyiravu, has always been part of the Tamil homeland. Rebranding it under a Sinhala king’s name is not development—it is colonization.
If Ilankumaran claims this name change honors a Sinhala king, let him produce the historical evidence. Without such proof, he is only spreading the JVP’s Sinhala nationalist agenda in Tamil dress. The Tamil people will not be fooled.
Furthermore, if this MP aligns with the legacy of Dutugemunu, the Sinhala king glorified in Mahavamsa for destroying the Tamil kingdom of Anuradhapura, then he does not represent the Tamil people. He is spiritually no different from the 60,000 Tamils who betrayed their nation and joined Dutugemunu’s army in the mythical past.
We, the Tamil diaspora and Tamils in the North-East, demand:
- Immediate withdrawal of the name “Raja Lunu”
- Restoration of the original name Aanaiyiravu Uppaalam
- Public apology from MP Ilankumaran for disrespecting Tamil heritage
- His resignation if he cannot represent Tamil interests with integrity
Tamils do not need Sinhala labels on our lands. We need justice, self-respect, and sovereignty—not betrayal from within.
Thank you,
Tamil Diaspora News,
May 15,2025
