JVP-NPP Govt. and 5,941 acre “gazetted landgrab” attempt in north

THE Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led National People's Power (NPP) Government of President Anura Kumara Disanayake created history at the Parliamentary elections of 2024 by winning 159 seats in a Parliament of 225 MPs.

- By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

The prized jewel in that crown of victory was the performance of the “compass” party in Sri Lanka’s predominantly Tamil Northern Province. The JVP-NPP won three out of six seats in the Jaffna electoral district and two out of six seats in the Wanni electoral district. The NPP with five MPs became the single largest party in the Northern Province in terms of Parliamentary representation.

Though the “Anura Alai” or Anura wave engulfed the Northern Tamil nationalist bastion in the 2024 Parliamentary poll, the triumphant tide seems to have ebbed considerably at the local authority polls in 2025. Among the many reasons attributed to this erosion of support are the various acts of omission and commission by the Anura Kumara Disanayake Government. Electoral pledges have not been honoured. Furthermore the JVP-NPP Government is accused of several anti-Tamil measures that have allegedly sharpened the contradictions between the Government and the northern Tamil people.

The latest example of this was the controversial measure to seize 5,941 acres of Tamil owned lands through gazette notification by the State. The flagrant move shocked the Tamil people in general and the people of the north in particular. The move dubbed as a “gazetted landgrab” attempt by sections of the media met with strong resistance spearheaded by Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) Secretary and President's Counsel, Mathiaparanan Abraham Sumanthiran. The former Jaffna district MP filed a Fundamental Rights Petition in the Supreme Court and obtained a stay order. Within 24 hours the Government revoked the controversial gazette.