Archchuna Urges Sri Lankans Not to Target Tamil Netflix Star With ‘Racist Comments’

MP Dr. Archchuna Ramanathan has urged members of the Sinhala community not to post racist comments or try to lower the ratings of a Sri Lankan woman’s work when she gains international recognition through a platform such as Netflix.

Making a special statement in Parliament on 23 September, Ramanathan questioned what it said about people’s attitudes when they disparaged the work of a Sri Lankan representing the country on the international stage.

He also claimed that the word “Eelam” appeared in the Tamil version of Sri Lanka’s national anthem. Ramanathan said he had previously been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over a statement in Parliament that he represented the Tamil Eelam people. He claimed the inquiry was dropped after he pointed to the Tamil version of the anthem.

Ramanathan said he had never called for a separate Tamil Eelam state. He also recalled former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent statement that he had split the LTTE.

Criticising other MPs from the Northern Province, Ramanathan said the people of the North had sent “sheep” to Parliament who could not understand language or complex ideas. He said it was regrettable that they could not understand statements he made in Sinhala or English.