George Rosario Motha (22 November 1892 – 1950) was a
Ceylonese politician, lawyer and Tamil activist.
Motha was elected to the first
Parliament of Ceylon
The Parliament of Ceylon was the legislative body of British Ceylon & Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) established in 1947 by the Soulbury Constitution, prior to independence on 4 February 1948. Parliament replaced the State Council of Ceylon.
...
in 1947 representing the
Ceylon Indian Congress
The Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) ( ta, இலங்கை தொழிலாளர் காங்கிரஸ், translit=Ilaṅkai Toḻilāḷar Kāṅkiras; si, ලංකා කම්කරු කොංග්රසය ''Lanka Kamkaru ...
as the member for the
Maskeliya electorate. He was strongly opposed to
Ceylon Citizenship Act No 18 of 1948, whereby Indian Tamils were legally denied Ceylon citizenship, speaking and voting against the Act. Motha stating in parliament that not only would many Indian Tamils be unable to prove their paternal genealogy but also the Sinhalese community would be automatically recognised effectively discriminating against the Indian Tamil population.
Motha died in 1950 and his seat representing the Maskeliya electorate was filled by
Abdul Aziz, following a by-election in March 1950.
References
1892 births
1950 deaths
Ceylon Workers' Congress politicians
Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan lawyers
Tamil politicians
Members of the 1st Parliament of Ceylon
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