V. Dharmalingam
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Honourable V. Dharmalingam MP |
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| வி. தர்மலிங்கம் | |
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| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Uduvil / Manipay |
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In office 1960–1983 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 February 1918 |
| Died | 2 September 1985 (aged 67) Thavady, Sri Lanka |
| Political party | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi |
| Other political affiliations |
Tamil United Liberation Front |
| Children | D. Siddhartan |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Ethnicity | Sri Lankan Tamil |
Visvanathan Dharmalingam (Tamil: விஸ்வநாதர் தர்மலிங்கம்; 5 February 1918 – 2 September 1985) was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament.
Dharmalingam was born on 5 February 1918. He was educated at Skandavarodaya College, Chunnakam, and St. Patrick's College, Jaffna. He later entered Ceylon Law College but gave up his legal studies to enter politics.
Dharmalingam's son Siddhartan is the leader of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (POLTE), pro-government paramilitary group and political party.
Dharmalingam was elected to Uduvil Village Council in 1944, later becoming its chairman. Although a leftist he joined the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party). He stood as the ITAK candidate in Uduvil at the March 1960 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament. He was re-elected at the July 1960, March 1965 and May 1970 parliamentary elections.
Dharmalingam played a leading role in the 1961 satyagraha campaign organised by ITAK. Early on the morning of 20 February 1961 a group of 55 to 75 persons staged a satyagraha at the Jaffna Kachcheri in Old Park. Among them were ITAK MPs A. Amirthalingam, S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, Dharmalingam, V. A. Kandiah, E. M. V. Naganathan, V. N. Navaratnam and K. Thurairatnam. A large group of policemen arrived in riot gear, wearing helmets and carrying batons and shields. The police started removing the protesters by lifting and carrying them away. Those who resisted were dragged away. Later, as Government Agent M. Srikantha and Superintendent of Police Richard Arndt tried to leave Old Park in a jeep the protesters blocked their way. The police reacted with brutality, beating he protesters with batons and pulled them out bodily. Palaniyappan, a young man who had thrown himself in front of the jeep was pulled away by the police and beaten severely with batons. Five ITAK MPs were amongst the protesters blocking the jeep. Kandiah was carried out and dumped on the ground, Dharmalingam and Thurairatnam were dragged out by their hands and legs whilst Amirthalingam and Naganathan were baton charged. The police also baton charged a crowd of around 5,000 who had gathered to watch the satyagraha.
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