SJB MP irked by Wigneswaran’s views referring to Tamil as “oldest living language”

• Says former NPC CM’s words in violation of oath taken by MPs
• Asks Speaker to expunge words from Hansard

Galle District SJB MP Manusha Nanayakkara yesterday raised a privilege question in Parliament regarding the speech made by newly-elected Jaffna District MP Minister MP C.V. Wigneswaran on Thursday and called on the Speaker to expunge it from the Hansard – the official record of the Parliamentary proceedings.

Nanayakkara was irked by the former Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister’s reference to Tamil as the oldest living language during a brief address to the House to congratulate the newly-appointed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

“All new MPs take an oath pledging not to directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.  MP Wigneswaran’s speech here is a violation of that oath,” the UNP MP said.

During his speech , Wigneswaran who started off with a few words in Tamil and then spoke in English, said: “I start my felicitations honourable Speaker, hailing you in my mother tongue, the oldest living language of this world, and the language of the first indigenous inhabitants of this country and proceed in the link language.”

Speaker Abeywardena said he would look into the matter.