Mahinda slams decision to sing National anthem in Tamil

150819160321-sri-lanka-mahinda-rajapaksa-august-2015-exlarge-169Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today slammed the decision to sing the National anthem in Tamil during the independence day celebrations on Thursday.

Rajapaksa claimed that the Government had decided to sing the National anthem in Tamil to please India.

He said that the National anthem should be sung in one language and not two or three languages.

The former President noted that even in India where several languages are spoken, the National anthem is sung only in one language.

Rajapaksa also said that he has not been formally invited for the independence day celebrations. He also confirmed that the joint opposition will boycott the event. (Colombo Gazette)


  1. Please sing it in any language!!!! We don’t want another war over silly things!!!
    Lets value each other’s lives and emotions over stiff stupid meaningless thing like this…

    We were born in a country of war.. now we are grown up adults. At least let our adult age and old age yet to come be peaceful…. and we don’t want our children to be facing the same!!! Please don’t begin another war!!!

    On the other hand, If we want to make Sri Lanka proud, lets do it by being well mannered, well cultured, exemplary civilians instead of being a rebellious nation.

  2. Mahinda is a No. 1 fool. He does not know that Indian anthem is in Bengali, a language spoken by 8% and Hindi is spoken by 45%. In Singapore, Chinese forms 90% and Malays 10% but Anthem is in Malay. Switzerland anthem is in two languages. New Zealand has two languages. Britishers should have imposed the Tamil version only when they left to ensure unity. If Tamil is withdrawn in future, it would be considered as challenge and Sinhala will be doomed in North and East.

  3. India should learn from Sri Lanka. In India, the Pakistani language Hindi remains and imposed language and the Muslim parties (operating under various Hindu names) like BJP, RSS, Khangress etc are planning the complete eradication of the original Indian languages out of India and replacement with the Pakistani language Hindi.

    It was already decided when India govt the so-called “independence” from Britain (i.e. sale of power to Hindians), that India would be planned for a gradual conversion into Pakistani colony. This is the intention of imposing Pakistani language in schools all over India and now the Indian PM even refusing to speak in original India language.

    India has to learn from Sri Lanka in preserving its languages.

  4. If the Sinhala people have issues with Tamils singing the anthem in Tamil then they should do as the Indians do. They should all sing the anthem in Tamil. The Indians sing theirs in Bengali not Hindi.

  5. The National Languaes of Sri Lanka are Sinhalese and Tamil. There is no fault in Sining the Anthem in either language. Please learn the law, read the constitution, and rid the world of division through racism and ignorance. For oneday All Sri Lankans, Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, Malay, Burgher, or other will need to stand united as brothers and sisters of one family, if not you will no longer have a country to call your own. Learn from the past, it will teach you about the future.

  6. The national anthem belongs to all human beings who call Sri Lanka home.It must be sung with love emanating from the core of one’s heart for the land which supports you,the people without whose aid you will not have a community,the trees the rivers and the free bounty of nature that nourishes you and the law and sense of justice that protects you and the spirituality of the people that uplifts you from the human to the sublime.We must be able to sing it in the manner that allows us to best express our love for and our honour for the Motherland evry time we get the privilege to do .If a Sinhalese wishes to sing the anthem in Tamil he/she must have the freedom to do so just as a Tamil person must have the freedom to sing it in Sinhala. Of what use is it to a country to get a Tamil person singing the anthem not knowing what he/she is saying ,struggling to pronounce the words properly and sometimes muttering curses under his or her breath that he/she is doing it under compulsion and same would be true in reverse.So it is my respectful view that ,depending on where it is sung let it be sung in the language that is most prevalent at the location and in the case of national events in both languages and international events, in the musical version with the singer using the language of his/her choice.Out of respect it would be wonderful if it is sung in the other language first and then your own.This is the spirit in which we must learn to respect each other.

  7. “Government had decided to sing the National anthem in Tamil to please India”.

    I disagree, because India doesn’t sing its National anthem in Tamil. Therefore, this move will not make any difference to India. The brutal civil war is over; allowing National anthem to sing in Tamil may heal the wounds. I support this move.

  8. In reality very handful of Tamil know fully the National Anthem in Sinhala. Most know in Tamil during school days . Afterwards the only word they know is namo namo matha.

  9. If students in the south and other parts of the country are learning Tamil, Why can.t the students in the North learn sinhalese and sing the national antum in Sinhala. Probably they’ll be singing it only once a year for Independence day,

  10. Good on Mahinda; even India being a huge country it doesn’t allow to sing its national anthem in any other languages other than their native language of Hindi. This yahapalana government has to do lots of more vital thins for the benefit of the people.Why do we want to charm India by singing our National Anthem in Tamil language? What’s the meaning of a national anthem of a country. This is rediculous indeed.

    Sisira Ambepitiya

    • Dude. How do you say Hindi is the native language of India? India has many native languages. Tamil, Kannada, Tulu, Telugu, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Bengali, Gujarati, etc., Its countless. And our national anthem is in Bengali (not Hindi). There is no problem in India as we have accepted it.

    • India has such a multiplicity of languages that it will take half a day to complete singing their anthem in the different languages.This is the obvious reason they stick to one language.This problem does not affect us.We can handle two languages for the benefit of harmony.

  11. how sad to think that such an uneducated man was president of our Country. New Zealand sings their national anthem in both English and Maori and I am sure there are plenty of other countries as well.

  12. Good on you Kumar. I fully agree with you.
    What is the reason that Northern Tamils can’t assimilate with the majority of the people and learn to live and share with them. Once there was a news article in Sydney Parramatta Advertiser that a Tamil gentleman aged around 40’s arrived in Australia and learning English in a TAFE college. In his interview he has said that he could speak few other international languages as French, German etc but Sinhalese language was not mentioned in his list. Being born and bred in Sri Lanka he could not speak the majority’s language. Who are the racists? There are good proportion of Tamil nationals living in capital Colombo and other parts of the country who are doing very well with the majority, Sinhalese. If Northern Tamils prepare to leave behind Tamil only policy in North and East, that will certainly encourage bring peace and prosperity to our country. Refusal to learn to communicate and integrate with the majority and keep demanding self government in North and East will only grow the racial differences and weaken the future development and prosperity of our nation.

  13. Dear Mahinda, I am a Tamil living overseas for over 25 years. I sang the National anthem in Tamil throughout my school years. As I sang it, I understood every word and meant every word. Even though I was badly affected in 1983 and had witnessed killings all around, I never once hated the Sinhalese or Sri Lanka. My love and loyalty for SL never diminished. There is no better way to promote loyalty for the country than proudly singing the national anthem in the language you understand. Hope your narrow political views do not stand in the way of social cohesion.

    • Hi Indi, Why couldn’t you learn Sinhalese while you were in SL After all you were living with the majority of the country Sinhalese. Are you still communicating in Tamil and could you sing the national anthem of the country you are living in now, in Tamil? Oh! you will understand the meaning of that National anthem better in your mother tongue Tamil. Because of people like you SL is suffering and people are rift apart, on Language and racial issues.

      • Hi Ranjith, I referred to singing of national anthem at school and not anything about whether I can speak Sinhalese or not as an adult. I know a majority of Sri Lankans would understand and agree with what I said. In your case, I am sorry that I can’t do anything to help improve your intelligence to understand what I meant.

      • Hi ranjith
        I am from eastern…..My mother tongue is Tamil but I can speak Sinhala because of my Sinhalese relations. You asked why northern and eastern people can’t learn sinhala? The answer is there is no opportunity to learn sinhala in those areas. If u take a look at pettah most of the people knows sinhala and tamil. If Government make sinhala and tamil subjects as compulsory in school, all Srilankans can speak Sinhala and Tamil. I love both (((Sinhalese + Tamils)) humans)

  14. No Tamils ever sung National anthem in Tamil in the North and the East since SJV formed Federal party. The Tamil nationalists were always against the Sri Lankan National anthem as it was against their political conviction that Eeelam was a different nation and should have their own national anthem.The Indian national anthem was written by a Bengali Poet, Rabindranath Tagore in his mother tongue , Bengali. Despite many languages spoken in India it is always sung in Bengali.

    I wonder the hardcore Tamil nationalists would sing in Tamil the “Sinhalese” Sri lankan natioanl anthem. The “Sinhalese” Sri lankan natioanl anthem has never been approved by the majority Tamils in the North and the east. It’s merely a school rhymes for Tamil school children in the North and the East during Independence Day celebrations only.

    If anyone believes singing “Sri lankan” national anthem in Tamil would bring peace to Sri lanka., I wonder he or she should live in Alice’s Wonderland .

    I wonder if anyone could ask CV Wikneswaran whether he would sing the Sri lankan National anthem in Tamil on the Independance Day.

  15. What a ignorant bunch of political leaders we have,
    Be happy at least the Tamils are interested in singing the “namo namo mathaa” in Tamil.
    If you stop that basic thing you will hear is “eruthu paar kodi eruthu paar” that was suppose to be the national anthem of Tamil Eelam.

  16. The main problem in Tamil people is the difficulty of understanding and speaking Sinhala so there is a gap in communication. It is better to provide facilities for Tamil people to learn Sinhala than getting them to sing National Anthem in Tamil. There was a time Sinhala students studied Tamil in the school too. Government should make efforts to bring two ethnic groups together, but current leaders are not ‘independent enough’ to do so.

  17. Whether its sung in Sinhala, Tamil or English its the National Anthem. It brings communities together , heals differences, unites people, etc etc.
    So whats the big hullabaloo. If you dont know the words just stand to attention and you will feel a sense of joy and pride within yourself.
    MR & Co are shouting about a trivial matter, covering up all the devilish things they have done in their lifetime.
    ” The mill of God grinds slowly but surely” mr MR. Remember that.
    God’s justice will eventually catch up with you no matter how fast you tavel.

  18. MR character is leaping out in shameful fashion to him and his presidency. nature respect that vocabulary best utilised in mothers tongue unless you are out of your country of your birth. individual can express themselves in his her mother tongue but nothing wrong in any other language tamils born in south well versed in Sinhalese should and can sing in sinhalese. the choice is up to the individual.

  19. Srilanka is one of the poorest country in the world with hunger for food joblessness,homelessness etc where ,economic and investment should be no one priority to get over the poverty but people think when election comes they give importance to language issue and national anthem over economic policies. I blame the people for their misery not the politicaians. This is the truth of srilankans
    politics over more than 60yrs of elction after election. On this basis Rajapaksa will win the next election as he knows what people want.

    yours sincerely

  20. Hey MR
    Do you know the countries that they sing their national anthems in more than one language. For instance in New Zealand,like Sri Lanka, they too have two communities, English Majority and Maori minority.Their national anthem is sung first in Maori and then followed by English.

  21. Simply surprised that these words came from an ex president of a country, who is normally considered a statesman and not a third grade politician. These are hate speeches and the
    govt. should take a serious note of these utterances, which could affect the efforts being
    made by the Govt .on reconciliation, to unite all the communities

  22. Dear Mahinda,
    Your hate politics which thrived on ignorance is losing its effect. India’s anthem is based on sanskrit and speaks of co-existence of difference faiths. Sri Lankan rulers must embrace diversity as much of the public has.

  23. Mr. President that means you are still against the Tamils of Sri Lanka and what’s the problem if they sing the national anthem in Tamil. Remember you are showing again ur racism.

  24. Appochchi Mahinda and the joint opposition clans (jaathi wadiyo) you are right! and every one who loves peace in the country are wrong, why we sing our national anthem in Tamil and Sinhala? will sing in English no one will have a problem

  25. I am a Tamil, I wonder why is it sooo hard to sing the national Anthem in Sinhala, I see no harm.
    Why make a big issue out of it. If we just get along and sing it in sinhala. Why always call the other side racist all the time we too should give and take. War is all over every single community in Srilanka have their scars we have learnt our lessons a costly one at that… So lets move forward as a nation, Whatever differences sort it out through dialogue. Dont ask too much or too little just the right mix should do the trick.

  26. Hi , brush up your knowledge of history , India is a federal union of states , with nearly 29 federal states! but you promised to go beyond amendment 13+, and now you are crying singing the National anthem in Tamil! You are sowing the seeds of next generation of freedom fighters!

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