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Actually, I do not enjoy bashing an archaeologist and epigraphist who spent his life time researching, exploring and excavating, but unfortunately it is true that Prof. Paranavitana was a biased researcher. All the assumptions what he made were only one sided.
Prof. K. Indrapala in his new book (pg.7), under the heading 'The Paranavitana factor' says a lot about him, even though he says, he does not believe that Prof. Paranavitana attempted to foist a hoax.
At one point he says, many researches, young and old, disagreed with several of his views and theories in private but were not willing to go public

This is what the good Professor says at the beginning of the book (pg. 3), *The subject of this book*

This book is concerned with the Tamils who lived in Sri Lanka in the early centuries of its history and with the evolution of an ethnic community speaking the Tamil language in the Northern, Northwestern and Eastern regions of the Island whose decedents in modern times perceive themselves as an ethnic identity that is DIFFERENT from the Tamils of South India as well as other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka.

A few quotes from the book.

'The idea that the Demela were foreign intruders and the Hela fought to liberate their people is nonsensical'.

'The earliest inscriptions and the early Pali chronicles attest to the presence of the Tamils (Damedas/Damelas) in the EIA (Early Iron Age)'.

'The Demedas in Sri Lanka in the centuries BCE (Before Common Era or AD) need not, therefore, be considered as outsiders'.

The Ila (or Hela or Sila as the ancient Sri Lankan inhabitants were known) moved back and forth between Sri Lanka and South India just as the Demeda or Demela (Tamils) did.

The idea of looking upon the Demedas as aliens was surely not prevalent in the Early Historical Period (EHP).

The earliest extant chronicle of the island, namely, the Dipavamsa, does not refer to the Damila rulers of Anuradhpura (Sena and Guttaka) in its list as invaders. Nor does the Mahawamsa, the most important ancient Sinhala chronicle.

By the time of Kassapa, there are definite references in these epigraphs (sinhala inscriptions) to Tamil villages and lands. Demel-kaballa, Demelat-valademin and Demel-gam-bim which have been translated as Tamil-allotment, Tamil-lands, and Tamil-villages and lands. The interpretation of these terms and the provenance of the inscriptions referring to these terms are of great significance for the study of the Tamil population in the Anuradapura kingdom in the period under discussion.