The Northern Provincial Council Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Water Supply, P Iyngaranesan has refused to hoist the Sri Lankan flag at an event in Mannar.
The minister was chief guest at the event in a school in Vellangulam.
According to the Colombo Gazette, Iyngaranesan said the flag does not represent the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and as long as the lion with a sword in its hand remains on the flag, it will be rejected by Tamils.
The TNA leader Sampanthan has previously defended his waving of the Sri Lankan flag at a May Day rally in 2012.
NPC ministers condemn Army's involvement in schools (08 Dec 2013)