The Gandhi of South
In the good old days only Gin Ganga river could seperate us living in
Ratgama and Baddegama. But he would always be there to look into the
needs of the people in Ratgama electorate who were suffering without an
MP for the last twenty years thanks to the bahubhuta constitution thrust
upon us.
The demise of Amarasiri Dodangoda is a great loss to the country and
specially to the people of Ratgama. Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda, left
us at a time when the country needs people of the calibre of this great
saint.
This silent Gandhi of South is a man of few words but a valiant
fighter at all times.
Under 17 years of UNP rule people were suffering but there was no one
to lead the masses and fire the first salvo. History of this country has
shown and it has been further proved even today that the saviour always
comes from South.
The saviour in 1993 was none other than Dodangoda who was ably
supported by the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
They took the leadership in the struggle to capture power of the
Southern Provincial Council.
The victory at the election was to be denied but the street battle
led by Hon Dodangoda won the day.He became the Chief Minister giving up
his seat in Parliament and that was the beginning of the downfall of UNP.
Those of us rejoicing today of the continuous election victories and
crushing of terrorism should not forget that it was Dodangoda that laid
the foundation. He was a man of ethics, possessing an unblemished 23
year old career in Parliament with no allegations of corruption or
misappropriation.
This softspoken, humble Gandhi of South led a humble life moving more
with the common masses in keeping with his socialist oriented principles
that he valued from his young days.
He always believed that Sri Lanka could progress only through a
nationalist socialist government. His love for the motherland was seen
when he advocated the policy of not selling our land to foreigners and
even took legal steps to prevent it.
He was lucky to see the country freed from terrorism but unfortunate
not to see it flourishing as a united nation under the able leadership
of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
While expressing our deepest sympathies to his family we wish him the
eternal bliss of Nirvana
T. Jayasinghe
Palestine |
