Vanni District Member of Parliament P. Sathiyalingam has called on the Governor of the Northern Province N. Vedhanayagan to take immediate steps to release the land and access road belonging to the historic Veddukkunaari Malai Adi Lingeswarar Temple, amid continuing restrictions on Tamil religious practice in the region.
In a letter dated 5 January 2026 and addressed to the governor, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi parliamentarian urged direct intervention to secure the release of one acre of land on which the temple stands, as well as the access road leading to the site. The temple is located within the Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat Division of the Vavuniya District.
According to the letter, trustees of the Veddukkunaari Malai Adi Lingeswarar Temple approached Dr Sathiyalingam requesting his assistance after repeated efforts to secure the land through official channels failed to produce a satisfactory response. The trustees stated that they had already submitted a formal request to the governor previously, but that no meaningful action had followed.
The land in question is required to facilitate the temple’s religious observances and activities, which continue to be hindered due to the lack of access and control over the surrounding area. Local residents and devotees have long complained that restrictions imposed on the site undermine their ability to practise their faith freely.
The letter further notes that the Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabha has indicated its readiness to reconstruct and develop the access road to the temple, provided the road is formally released under its authority. Without such a release, the Pradeshiya Sabha says it is unable to undertake any development work, leaving devotees to navigate unsafe and inadequate access routes.
Dr Sathiyalingam therefore called on the governor to act without delay to ensure the release of both the temple land and the access road, stressing the historical and religious significance of the site to the Tamil people of the area.
The appeal comes amid mounting concern across the Tamil homeland over the continued occupation, restriction, or obstruction of Hindu sites, even years after the end of the armed conflict.
