Federal Party conducts its sathyagraha protest on Galle Face Green against intended legislation to make Sinhala the official language. Protests spark communal violence in Colombo. Violence spreads to Ampara and the Gal-Oya Valley. An estimated 150 deaths, mainly Tamil, result.
Timeline of events under "Tamil politicians" issue
Proposals to deprive citizenship and voting rights for one million plantation Tamils in December 1948 leads to a split in the Tamil Congress: Chelvanayakam goes on to form the Federal Party (Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi) in 1949.
All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader, G.G. Ponnambalam, asks for ‘50:50’ representation (50% for the Sinhalese, and 50% for other minorities) before the Soulbury Commission.
Tamil leader, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, publishes a paper arguing that Muslims are Tamils by nationality and Mohammedan by faith.
