In a move that has stunned political observers and ignited fierce controversy, the National People’s Power (NPP) has launched a series of Tamil-language campaign songs ahead of Sri Lanka’s local government elections, embracing rhetoric, symbolism, and promises that echo deeply with Tamil nationalist sentiment and even reference the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The songs, aimed at energizing Tamil voters in the North-East, have raised eyebrows nationwide, with critics questioning whether the party traditionally a southern-based leftist movement has taken an opportunistic turn to secure electoral gains.
One of the most explosive songs, circulated by NPP Jaffna MP Ilankumaran on Facebook, includes an open pledge to construct a bronze statue in Valvettithurai to honor slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
The lyrics, rich in nationalist imagery, read:
“O land that yearned for valour,
O soil where Tamil pride has flourished,
The land where History was born
And gave the nation its noble leader (Prabhakaran)—
In the name of Veluppillai Parvathy Ammal,
A new harbour shall rise,
And it shall echo our history for a hundred years.
The principles of the national peoples power and those of the Tamil national leader are one and the same.
A bronze statue of the Tamil national leader
Shall stand in the land of his birth.
We shall build a memorial hall,
And install the bronze effigy,
And move the first resolution in the city’s urban council.
Across all regions,
The Maveerar thuyilumillam shall be rebuilt and preserved—
A duty to be borne by the councils.
No matter how many years may pass,
The identity of the Tamil people shall endure;
And the national party shall uphold it.”
The song goes even further, promising to rename Sankiliyan Park in Nallur as ‘Kittu Park’, after senior LTTE commander Sathasivam Krishnakumar, and to construct a memorial hall and landing pad in honor of Prabhakaran’s parents, Velupillai and Parvathyamma.
Another track, reportedly tailored for the Karaithuraipattu Pradeshiya Sabha in Mullaitivu, explicitly aligns the NPP’s leftist ideology with that of Prabhakaran, stating:
“The ideology of the Tamil national leader is communism.
The ideology of the National People’s Party is also communism.
Let us unite under one shared vision.”
A total of 28 songs have been shared so far across NPP-affiliated social media pages, including official district-level outlets. Each video is rich in LTTE symbolism photographs of Prabhakaran’s residence, Maaveerar Naal commemorations, and references to the LTTE’s fallen fighters.
The response has been swift and divided. While some see the songs as an unprecedented gesture of recognition toward Tamil identity, others have slammed the NPP for blatant political mimicry.
“These songs reveal the extent to which Tamil nationalist sentiments have taken root,” said a Jaffna-based activist. “Southern parties now realize they can’t win votes in the North-East without adopting this language.”
For many Tamils, however, the NPP’s sudden embrace of LTTE imagery feels disingenuous. “This is a party that stayed silent while Tamil lands were militarized and justice for war crimes was denied,” said one campaigner. “Now they want to use our martyrs and pain as campaign content?”
Political analysts say this shift is part of a larger trend where southern parties attempt to rebrand themselves during elections in Tamil-majority areas, often without backing their rhetoric with actual commitments to demilitarization, justice, or autonomy.
With local government elections drawing near, the NPP’s bold and controversial campaign gamble has turned into a political lightning rod, forcing the nation to confront uncomfortable questions about identity, memory, and the fine line between recognition and exploitation.
SOURCE :- TAMIL GUARDIAN
A very positive move to grant normalcy to the aspirations of the Tamil people …