From Stethoscope to Spotlight

The Wild Ride of Parliament’s Most Controversial Newcomer has again created  a headline   

Parliament is no stranger to drama, but few have made an entrance as spectacularly chaotic as Jaffna District Parliamentarian Archchuna Ramanathan, the independent MP who has turned the hallowed halls of democracy into his personal stage. From the moment he stepped foot in Parliament, this doctor-turned-politician has been making headlines—not for policy, but for sheer unpredictability.

It all started with an electoral shock. Winning as an independent in a system where party loyalty reigns supreme is a rarity, yet Archchuna Ramanathan pulled it off, defying the odds and earning himself a seat. The question remained: what would he do with it? The answer came sooner than anyone expected.

On his very first day in Parliament, he strolled in confidently, surveyed the seating arrangement, and made himself comfortable—in the Leader of the Opposition’s seat. When parliment staff  kindly  asked him to move, he flat-out refused. “A seat is a seat,” he reportedly said, as security personnel hovered nearby, nervously exchanging glances. It took an extended negotiation, some mild threats, and the intervention of the Speaker before he finally relocated. But the show was far from over.

Just days later, he was in the news again, this time for claiming he had been assaulted—inside the Opposition Leader’s office. What exactly transpired remains a matter of heated debate, but Archchuna Ramanathan insisted he was the victim of an unprovoked attack, while others suggested he may have simply wandered where he wasn’t supposed to be. Either way, a police report was filed, and Parliament’s corridors buzzed with speculation.

But this political maverick wasn’t done yet. Not long after, he made headlines again—this time, not for his parliamentary antics, but for his driving skills (or apparent lack thereof). Arrested for a traffic violation, Archchuna Ramanathan claimed he was being unfairly targeted for “simply exercising his right to drive as freely as he legislates.” He had beeen using VIP traffic lights and claimed that he was picked because he was a Tamil Parliamentarian. However, after much debate, he was arrested and produced in court. 

Adding to his growing list of controversies, Archchuna Ramanathan recently admitted in an interview with a YouTube channel that he appointed his relative as his research officer and used the salary for his own expenses. He revealed that as a parliamentarian, he received a salary of Rs. 56,000 per month and an allowance of Rs. 125,000 based on the distance between his district and parliament. In total, his parliamentary earnings amounted to Rs. 275,000 per month.

He went on to explain his monthly expenses, which included paying off bank loans, buying shirts and suits, covering his son’s school fees, and paying house rent. While parliament provides allowances to hire staff such as a research officer, driver, typist, and secretary, Archchuna admitted that he appointed his elder brother’s son, Mr. Ramakrishna Arivanban, as his research officer and used his Rs. 56,000 salary for personal expenses.

In a shocking admission, Archchuna said that when his appointed relative asked for at least a partial payment for his work, he refused, stating that he did not have enough money for his own expenses. He bluntly stated that he had to “run his life” using Mr. Ramakrishna Arivanban’s salary, a confession that has sparked outrage among voters in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi electoral districts, particularly among those who supported him.

Despite—or perhaps because of—his headline-grabbing stunts, Archchuna Ramanathan has managed to amass a growing base of supporters who admire his refusal to conform. His critics, on the other hand, believe he’s less interested in governance and more in political theatre. Either way, one thing is certain: Parliament has never been quite this entertaining.

Whether Archchuna Ramanathan will settle into his role as a serious lawmaker or continue his streak as the chamber’s resident wildcard remains to be seen. But if his early days are anything to go by, we can expect plenty more headlines, a fair share of controversy, and, most likely, a few more seating disputes along the way