 Ponnamblam was a politician who attacked the Sinhalese, and their historical chronicle known as the Mahavamsa.One such inflamed attack in Navalapitiya led to the first Sinhala-Tamil riot in 1939.Ponnambalam opposed universal franchise, supported the caste system, and claimed that the protection of Tamil rights requires the Tamils (45% of the population in 1931) having an equal number of seats in parliament to that of the Sinhalese (about 72% of the population).