Art of lying exclusivity of certain politicians

Wijitha Nakkawita

The art of hollering lies is the exclusivity of certain politicians. In the past elections there were some outstanding examples. One such person was the late J.R. Jayewardene. Before he came to power in 1977 he said he would create a just and righteous society.

But on coming to power the country saw the opposite of the just and converse of righteousness coming to remain. When the very first Opposition meeting was held in Colombo Jayewardene’s goon squads arrived at the meeting armed with bicycle chains, clubs and knives and attacked the meeting. Several people were critically injured and SLFP trade union leader Alavi Mowlana hit with bicycle chains and was stabbed on the head. He was rushed to hospital and doctors fought to save his life. After being unconscious for a long time he recovered from the near fatal injuries to his head.

The next righteous action was seen at Belek Kade junction Galle Road, Ratmalana. A bomb was thrown at the Opposition meeting held there and a number of people were injured including the SLFP leader Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike who suffered a minor injury on a toe.

Of course he also said every citizen would be given eight pounds of food grain per week when the UNP Government came to power. But the government did not give a single food grain to any citizen.

There were even more blatant lies by politicians at different times. In the 1965 election campaign, the vociferous politician Wijayananda Dahanayake went round the country telling the SLFP was going to make Sri Lanka a Chinese colony. He said there were Chinese everywhere. In fact there were so many Chinese in my hometown Galle there was a palace named China Garden now, he used to say.

The truth of course was that Galle’s China Garden, Cheena Koratuwa in Sinhala, was at least a Century old by 1965. By that time when Dahanayake said the country was teeming with Chinese people there wasn’t a single Chinese living in China Garden.

Even earlier than that in 1951 when Sir Oliver Goonetilleke was the Food Minister in the first UNP Cabinet of D. S. Senanayake he was reported saying as long as the UNP was in power a measure of rice would cost only 25 cents.

Premier D.S. Senanayake died a year later and his son Dudley Senanayake succeeded him. But within one year, the price of rice doubled to 50 cents a measure. The famous Hartal against jacking up the price of rice resulted in street protests with people coming out against the price increase. Among the protests eight people across the country were shot dead by the Police. Dudley Senanayake resigned.

Politicians of certain political parties arrange rumour campaigns during election times. Some of these people are paid a fee by the politicians. The rumour mongers get into trains or public transport buses and engage passengers in conversation. They slander politicians of opposing political parties.

Some three decades back this well dressed man got into a bus at a suburban town. He was telling a passenger in a loud voice that other passengers could hear that the then SLFP Minister T.B. Illangaratne owned a hotel in Switzerland. He said there was a portrait of Illangaratne in the lobby and underneath it was the legend, Prince T.B. Illangaratne of Sri Lanka!

Of course Illangaratne did not own any external assets or a hotel in Switzeralnd. Those of us who attended his funeral saw the normal middle class home he lived in during his retirement from politics. The old car that was parked in the garage of his home had not been used for many years. There was a telltale coat of dust on the car and the average old furniture that were not in their best state. We saw what a simple life he had been living on his pension. For he was one of the most honest politicians this country had seen.

These days there is much talk about corruption by the Opposition politicians accusing President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family of corruption. But an Opposition politician is yet to bring up any specific act of corruption. As usual political platforms will witness such liars in the future too. Perhaps people are now aware that there is this tribe that cannot be taken at their word.