A controversial statement made by first-time Member C.V. Vigneshwaran delivering his maiden speech at Parliament on August 20 congratulating the newly elected Speaker as a party leader is making waves across the political spectrum. In his speech, Vigneshwaran said that the Tamil language is the oldest living language in the world and the first language of the first indigenous inhabitants of Sri Lanka.

“I start my felicitation 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,” he said.

Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila yesterday challenged Vigneshwaran to a public debate over the remarks claiming that Tamils were the first residents of Sri Lanka.

https://economynext.com/vigneshwarans-statement-about-tamil-in-parliament-has-ruffled-feathers-73380/