The National Anthem In Tamil, Or Not?

By Faizer Shaheid –February 2, 2016

Faizer Shaheid

Almost a year ago, a debate sprung from Valaalai in Jaffna as to whether theNational Anthem ought to be sung in Tamil too. Although not as deeply rooted as other problems, reasonable conjecture has gathered that the Tamil version must be permitted. The debate lost traction in the wake of many other burning issues such as corruption, the budget and the rising crime rate, but was once again revived as the Independence Day draws closer.

While I am not opposed to the National Anthem being sung in Tamil, I am of the opinion that the National Anthem should only be sung in one language. This ensures uniformity and solidarity.

In any case, I am opposed to the communal mindset that suffers from an inferiority complex of sorts and continues to condescend based on which language or ethnicity is more superior. It is even more a threat that this condescending mentality utilizes the human rights notion of substantive equality to further their cause. On many previous occasions too the conflict as to the national interests and human rights has arisen, and the complexities are of such nature that Leaders are yet trying to reconcile the differences. These very complexities, arising from the rift between Sinhala and Tamil speaking masses, are identified as the national problem.

The Leaders of the current regime have constantly expedited experimental methods to reconcile these differences between the Sinhala speaking and Tamil speaking masses in attempting to resolve the national problem. However, what remains to be understood is that the problem may never be resolved as long as this inferiority complex between the two ethnicities stand.

The inherent problem pertaining to the National Anthem contains moral roots for certain, and Tamil speaking masses have left no stone unturned in pointing this out. The claim is that the Tamil version of the National Anthem was sung even during the early stages of independence when the ‘Namo Namo Maatha’ was first sung as the National Anthem. The Minister of National Co-Existence, Dialogue and Official Languages, Mano Ganesan has constantly emphasized on holding social events with the National Anthem being sung in Tamil even in the presence of those who do not speaking in Tamil. This is to promote reconciliation, he claimed.

The government invitation card to mark the first anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence in1949   

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