In a significant move towards reconciliation, President Mathripala Sirisena will be sending a circular to all institutions saying that there is no bar on singing the Sri Lankan national anthem in Tamil.

Speaking to 'Asian Mirror', Democratic Peoples’ Front (DPF) leader Mano Ganesan said that the president made this announcement yesterday at the National Executive Committee meeting when he had raised the issue. He said that the president made it clear that there was constitutional provision allowing the singing of the Tamil version of the anthem.

In 1951 Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, adopted Ananda Samarakoon’s Sinhalese-language song “Sri Lanka Matha” as the national anthem. Simultaneously, a Tamil version, “Sri Lanka Thaaye Nam Sri Lanka”, composed by the Lankan Tamil poet, M. Nallathambi, was also adopted. For decades, both versions were sung.

However after the end of the war, with the rising communal tendencies within the government, the singing of the Tamil version was discouraged. Ganesan said that it was the influence of individuals such as National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa which made this move possible. Even President Rajapaksa gave his indirect approval, he added.

President Maithripala Sirisena said that he has no problem in the Tamil version of the national anthem being sung, Mano Ganesan said. “The President also said that he would have the matter cleared by the National Security Council,” Ganesan added.

In some areas, the security forces were insisting on the singing of only the Sinhala version of the National Anthem, Ganesan explained.

Ganesan added that both songs have the same tune and same meaning. “Those who love the country should promote both the versions” he said, adding that it will help encourage a national feeling among all Sri Lankan people.