Humour in politics

By Amal HEWAVISSENTI

During 1950s and 60s, the Sri Lankan political platform was well peppered with humorously sardonic remarks, irony and exaggeration exploited by political giants in their election campaigns. Although the political lives of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, John Kotalawala, D.S. Senanayake, Colvin R. de Silva were trapped in a busy schedule of political campaigns, their speeches were characterised by quick and inventive verbal humour. Politics at that time inevitably served as a source of frolic and paradoxically, a form of entertainment for masses.

For instance, Sir John Kotawala, never missed an edge of bitter criticism and humour in whatever he expressed in condemnation of certain actions of voters and fellow politicians. Yet he had the judgement and political acumen for capturing the imanigation of the whole nation. That is precisely where the secret of their immense popularity lay. However, they were no proof against hostile criticism and they squandered no chance in their bid to level sarcasm that is a source of enjoyment even today.

Gulp you down!

In 1954, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike revamped his "Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya" by incorporating Phillip Gunawardana's "Lanka Samasamaja Pakshaya" and Iriyagolla's "Bhasha Peramuna". He renamed the new alliance as "Mahajana Eksat Peramuna" and carried out his political campaigns posing mammoth challenge for Prime Minister Sir John Kotalawala. Meanwhile Dr. Wijayananda Dahanayake who was well noted for political crossovers, was contesting under "Mahajana Eksat Peramuna representing Galle district.

Here, John Kotalawala confronted Wijayananda Dahanayake in a fierce election campaign where each condemned the other in Sri Lanka's best political satire.

On stage. Interestingly enough, Wijayananda Dahanayake never represented the same political party twice in elections and became a record breaker by losing his seat even while holding Primeministership.

Once, Kotalawala insolently commented on Dahanayake at a political meeting in Galle, "Dahanayake should not even think of playing political games on me. If he does, I'll swallow him alive". Wijayananda Dahanayake did not forget to respond to the satirical remarks by Kotalawala in one of his formal statements to newspapers. "I heard Prime Minister Kotalawala say he'd swallow me up alive. So much the better. If so his stomach will get a brain that is not in his head!"

Thousand from India

By 1954, an enormous number of Indian tamils were tresspassing on Sri Lanka - a widespread but trouble some trend for the country. Meanwhile a Sri Lankan Tamil youth named 'M. Navarathnasami' had established a world record by swimming across Palk Straits to India. By this time, the Minister of Agriculture was J.R. Jayewardene. In the inaugural speech on the opening of an agricultural ceremony, held in Kelaniya seat, J.R. Jayewardene spelled out Navarathnasami's breakthrough achievement.

"The only Sri Lankan who distinguished himself by swimming from Sri Lanka to India after 2000 years is Navarathnasami. It is a great honour for us Sri Lankans and above all, it is a world record. But, on the other hand, around thousand Indian tamils are steathily swimming to Sri Lanka in a day..."

Clerk or an actor?

Once a youth visited a ministerial chief in his office and earnestly appealed for him to offer him a clerical post in the ministry. The higher official (ministerial chief) instantly recognised the young man but denied the youth the chance of employment. The youth in utter humaliation made repeated demands to have the opportunity to be a clerk but had to be disappointed on strong rejection. The official emphasized.

"No job is here for you. If I am to offer you this job, I am doing a considerable injustice to the country. You are not at all suitable for a clerk. Go and make people laugh as you did. I think you're best at it."

Subsequently, the particular ministerial chief and the youth shot upto prominence under two opposing fields - politics and art. The ministerial chief who had had a profound impact on the future of the youth was none other than S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, who became a Prime Minister in Sri Lanka.

The young man who sought employment from him was Eddie Jayamanna who later won a growing chorus of popularity as a funny actor in the drama ensemble of 'Minerva' and the first film of Sri Lanka "Kadawunu Poronduwa."

Prime Minister Bandaranaike dramatically transformed the course of the young man's life because had Bandaranaike offered the youth the post of clerk, Sri Lanka would not have produced the best and most popular funny actor in the earliest works of Sri Lankan cinema.

Lord Soulbury duped

The British government dispatched an exclusive commission headed by Lord Soulbury to Sri Lanka in order to check whether Sri Lanka is qualified enough to have independence.

Lord Soulbury and the members of the commission established a wide network to obtain information from various organisations and persons from different regions of the island.

Once D. S. Senanayake the then Minister of Agriculture was travelling to Kandy with the members of Soulbury Commission. D. S. Senanayake stopped the vehicle near a stretch of paddyfields near Veyangoda and inquired Lord Soulbury whether he wished to speak to the farmers working there. Lord Soulbury relished the opportunity because views, comments and suggestions from ordinary farmers seemed to tell the real story of the country.

The farmers covered wholly with mud and clad in farmer's clothes spoke in surprisingly fluent English and expressed their scholarly views on why Sri Lanka needs freedom and franchise. Highly touched by the young farmers' intellect and the superb fluency of English, Lord Soulbury immediately chose Sri Lanka as the country which should be granted independence. Accordingly, Sri Lanka was granted independence on Soulbury recommendations and the new Prime Minister of the independent Sri Lanka was D. S. Senanayake.

Yet, very little did Lord Soulbury know that the farmers who displayed an amazing intellectual level and fluency of English at Veyangoda paddyfields were university students dressed in farming clothes as pre-arranged by D. S. Senanayake. This was a classic secret to Lord Soulbury throughout his lifetime.

Politics and cinema

Tikiri Banda Illangarathna took up political career through trade union movements. T. B. Illangarathna was an exceptional person who held diverse posts from the ministership of finance to Minister of Post.

He was a popular novelist and became instrumental in establishing People's Bank. Yet his membership of Parliament was once abolished by a court order and later his wife Thamara Illangarathna joined him in representing the Parliament.

He made every possible effort to abrogate the wholesale trade occupied by foreign agents and joined "Mahajana Pakshaya" launched in 80s. Furthermore, he was a reputed author, screen playwriter, producer of dramas and an outstanding actor. His acting in films such as "Warada Kageda" and "Radala Piliruwa," left an indelible impression on the spectators. He even went to Madras of India for shooting of films.

Bertrem Fernando co-starred with T. B. Illangarathne in the film "Warada Kageda" in which Illangarathna played the role of "Ralahami" while Bertrem played the role of his supporter. Bertrem Fernando was a highly acclaimed funny actor and flew into stardom with the screening of "Kadawunu Poronduwa." "Kapati Arakshakaya" the third film in the history of Sinhala Cinema, starred Bertrem as a political candidate contesting under the sign of Snail!

During the time the film "Warada Kageda" was screened, nobody had least reckoned with the possibility that Illangarathne would be a minister.

Some notable dialogues in the film are pregnant with irony of Illangarathne's future life.

Ralahami (T. B. Illangarathne): "You see, a gentleman who has passed the exam which I too have passed, has become a minister now."

His Supporter (Bertrem Fernando): (Laughing behind his palms) "Why did you fail to become a minister then?"

In reality, T. B. Illangarathne later held a number of ministerial portfolios in Sri Lankan Parliament.