Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Shritharan criticized the government’s decision to allocate a staggering Rs 432 billion for defence in the 2025 budget.
The MP raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the budget, noting that while the total expenditure amounted to Rs 4,218 billion, there were no clear details provided regarding how the state plans to generate revenue.
Shritharan highlighted the government’s prioritization of spending, emphasizing that 69% of the total budget, amounting to Rs 2,898 billion, was allocated to recurrent expenses, leaving only Rs 1,320 billion for capital investment.
He pointed out that Rs 442 billion was earmarked for defence, which represents 10.5% of the total budget. He questioned the need to allocate such a large amount for the military, especially given that Sri Lanka has not been involved in an active war for over 15 years.
The MP also expressed concern for the Tamil communities in the North and East of Sri Lanka, who continue to endure military occupation, unresolved land disputes, forced displacement, and land grabs facilitated by security forces.
Citing the annual report by Jane’s Defence Weekly, Shritharan noted a 3% increase in the overall defence budget, including Rs 60 billion allocated for capital expenditure and procurement. He pointed out the significant increases in funding for the army, navy, and air force.
Further stressing the need for ethnic and political reconciliation, Shritharan warned that Sri Lanka’s economic progress would remain limited as long as deep-rooted issues of ethnic marginalization and political exclusion were left unaddressed.
He recalled Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s vision of a “clean, united, and prosperous” Sri Lanka but questioned how this could be achieved without building trust, ensuring fair laws, and fostering genuine reconciliation.
Shritharan also dismissed the President’s call for the Tamil diaspora to return, noting that Tamils living abroad remain skeptical of the government’s commitment to addressing their core demands.
He reiterated the Tamil community’s desire for recognition as a “separate national group” within Sri Lanka, rather than a marginalized minority with limited political rights.
He also compared the nation’s economic decline with the success stories of countries like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, which had once looked to Sri Lanka as a model but have since surpassed it.
Shritharan pointed out that Sri Lanka now borrows from these nations, yet refuses to adopt the inclusive governance practices that contributed to their success.
He also questioned why Sri Lanka continued to deny Tamil the equal status granted to it in countries like Singapore, where Tamil is recognized as an official language.
Referring to historical agreements such as the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact (1957) and the Dudley-Chelvanayakam Agreement (1965), Shritharan reminded Parliament that these commitments were abandoned due to opposition from Sinhala nationalists.
He referenced the 1956 “Sinhala Only Act,” which marginalized Tamils by making Sinhala the sole official language and ignited decades of conflict.
Shritharan further questioned the credibility of Sri Lanka’s leadership, pointing out that the Tamil community’s faith in successive governments had been repeatedly betrayed.
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