S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike:

Architect of a new era

by Maithripala SIRISENA

It is no exaggeration that late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was the brightest star in the post-independence political firmament. He set up the new political organisation, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in 1951. Despite being premier only for a very short span of three years, he left an indelible mark, turning the country’s political culture upside down!

The illustrious writer Martin Wickremasinghe attributed the 1956 people’s victory to the collapse of the elitist class (Bamunu Kulaya). SWRD’s Pancha Maha Balawegaya, the quintuple force of Bhikkus, Ayurvedic Physicians, Teachers, Farmers and Workers dealt the biggest ever blow to the elitist classes of the era.

People drew inspiration from his very name since he always thought in terms of Sinhala and talked Sinhala. He had a remarkable empathy for the toiling masses.

Despite his aristocratic upbringing and the Western-oriented education he had received at S. Thomas’ College and Oxford University, he was gifted with a political sagacity to feel the pulse of the common man.

Adding glamour to his political personality, he donned the garb of the man on the street. Buddhism and ideology refined his political thought.

Until his overwhelming victory in 1956, the country was represented by Western-oriented leaders whose brand of politics and attitudes were out of tune with the nascent aspirations of the common man.

SWRD, with his emphasis on the indigenous culture of Sri Lanka, laid the foundation for a new era in the country, which he euphemistically called “Period of Transition”. He lived in the hearts of the ordinary masses who were near and dear to him. Even today people talk of Bandaranaike policies. He was convinced that this country, nurtured in the cradle of Buddhism, has not alienated itself from the mornings of its culture.

The “Ministry of Culture” which he inaugurated in 1956 still remains vibrant. He always gave pride of place to the rank and file.

SWRD firmly believed in the vicissitudes of life!

His Socialist measures such as granting university status to Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara pirivenas, nationalisation of port and omnibus transport and promotion of the cooperative enterprise dealt a serious blow to vested interests of the day. His making Sinhala the official language continues to be an issue to many a people.

He was committed to creating a national frame of mind in the country. It is because of his commitment to the cause of the peasantry that the “Children of 56” reached dizzy heights in the social ladder in later years.

His brand of politics, aimed at winning real freedom to the country had to face resistance from the reactionary forces.

His assassination was a result of a conspiracy hatched by both foreign and local forces.

SWRD’s policy of non-alignment helped the country to open diplomatic relations with the Socialist block and appointed an intellectual of the calibre of Prof. G. P. Malalasekera as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Russia.

SWRD was a Lilliputian among Gullivers such as India’s Nehru, China’s Chou-en-Lai, Russia’s Krushchew, Burma’s U Thant and Britain’s Winston Churchill. But his personality rose above his stature!

His enemies were active from within. Strikes were the order of the day during his tenure. Strange enough, behind such strikes were the very forces which supported him to overthrow the reactionaries.

In his Vote of Thanks on the National Freedom Day of 1948, he remarked that real freedom was yet to dawn.

“Mahahene Riri Yakka” was his contribution to Sri Lanka literature while Latin and English literature were his forte.Patriot and freedom fighter Anagarika Dharmapala is his familiar tone instigated him, “You are the son of a Maha Mudali who licked the boots of imperialists”. Put came the retort. “Yes, but the Maha Mudali did a great service in gifting an excellent son to the country.

SWRD kept company with the peasantry of places such as Polonnaruwa, Hingurakgoda and Medirigiriya.

Challenges which arose from within the Cabinet were doused with his beaming smile.He was a democrat at heart who listened equally to Mahasangha and the people. Although he disowned Communism, yet he respected its message to the world.

“He was no poet, but he developed a strong liking to the Sinhala free verse. He was notable for his regular presence at the Samastha Lanka Sinhala Kavi Sammelanaya anniversary. Such poets of fame as Ananda Rajakaruna and Peter Perera of Thihariya were his close associates. He got the drummers who performed at devil dancing ceremonies to recite, ‘THOVIL KAVI at his then Goldsmith Street bungalow as claimed by former Baddegama MP, Henry Abeywickrema in his PARIWARTHANA YUGAYA SWRD indulged in satire, some of which was too caustic!Ayurveda was his brainchild. The day on which the Navinna Ayurveda Research Institute was opened he was happier even than his wedding day, he had once said.

Like the Bandaranaikes in the past, the Rajapaksa today are inseparable from the masses.

It reminds us of the historic day when our President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s late father, former Hambantota MP, D. A. Rajapaksa closely followed SWRD in crossing over to the Opposition in Parliament in 1951.

SWRD was a true patriot who was well-versed in the country’s history, culture and literature.

Reactionary forces both local and foreign conspired against his people-friendly ideology. A man in robes shot him on September 25, 1959. He breathed his last on the following day.

The political void caused by his untimely demise was not filled until November 17, 2005.

Today, a true people’s era has once again dawned upon the country.

The writer is Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services and General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. (Translated by K. D. M. Kittanpahuwa)