V. A. Kandiah | |
|---|---|
வி. ஏ. கந்தையா | |
 | |
| Member of theCeylonese Parliament forKayts | |
| In office 1956–1963 | |
| Preceded by | Alfred Thambiayah |
| Succeeded by | V. Navaratnam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1891-09-03)3 September 1891 |
| Died | 4 June 1963(1963-06-04) (aged 71) |
| Nationality | Ceylonese |
| Party | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi |
| Alma mater | Ceylon University College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Velupillai Ambalavanar Kandiah (3 September 1891 – 4 June 1963) was aCeylon Tamil lawyer, politician andMember of Parliament.
Kandiah was born on 3 September 1891.[1][2] He was from the island ofVelanaitivu in northernCeylon.[2] He was educated atJaffna Hindu College andSt. Joseph's College, Colombo.[2] After school Kandiah joined theCeylon University College, graduating in 1922 with aB.Sc. degree.[2][3]
Kandiah married and had two sons and three daughters.[2]
Kandiah taught science at St. Joseph's College, Colombo for about eight years before joining the legal profession and becoming anadvocate.[2] Hepractised law inColombo.[2]
Kandiah stood as a candidate inColombo Central at the1947 parliamentary election but was unsuccessful.[4] He was theIllankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party)'s candidate inKayts at the1956 parliamentary election. He won the election and enteredParliament.[5] He was re-elected at theMarch 1960 andJuly 1960 parliamentary elections.[6][7]
Following the1958 riots ITAK and the Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (National Liberation Front) were banned.[8] ITAK's leaders, including Kandiah, were arrested on 4 June 1958 as they left Parliament and imprisoned.[9]
Kandiah played a leading role in the 1961 satyagraha campaign organised by ITAK.[10] Early on the morning of 20 February 1961 a group of 55 to 75 persons staged a satyagraha at the JaffnaKachcheri inOld Park.[10][11] Among them were ITAK MPsA. Amirthalingam,S. J. V. Chelvanayakam,V. Dharmalingam, Kandiah,E. M. V. Naganathan,V. N. Navaratnam andK. Thurairatnam.[10][11] A large group of policemen arrived in riot gear, wearing helmets and carrying batons and shields.[10][11] The police started removing the protesters by lifting and carrying them away.[10][11] Those who resisted were dragged away.[10][11] Later, asGovernment AgentM. Srikantha and Superintendent of Police Richard Arndt tried to leave Old Park in a jeep the protesters blocked their way.[10][11] The police reacted with brutality, beating the protesters with batons and pulling them out bodily.[11] Palaniyappan, a young man who had thrown himself in front of the jeep was pulled away by the police and beaten severely with batons.[10][11] 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.[10][11] The police also baton charged a crowd of around 5,000 who had gathered to watch the satyagraha.[11]
Kandiah was a founding member of the Hindu Educational Society which established a number of schools, including theColombo Hindu College.[12][13] He died on 4 June 1963.[2]
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