Commemorating the 'Lion of Boralugoda'

On January 11, 1901 Dona Liyanora Gunasekara gave birth to her fourth child and the father, well-known Boralugoda Appuhamy, Don Jacolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena in Avisswella, named their son Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena. He later became an outstanding loyalist and a true patriotic son of Sri Lanka with an innovative vision, analytical mind and was a down to earth representative of the people, detesting injustice and struggled always to establish the truth, with impartiality and fairness. After an illustrious political career he died on March 26, 1972. On his 40th death anniversary this column focuses on 'The Lion of Boralugoda' whom people in this country dotingly loved.

Philip Gunawardena had his early education at Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, Ananda College and University College Colombo before proceeding to the USA at the age of 21 to read Economics at the University of Illinois, where an element of radical ideas began to run in his blood circulation. Being young and aggressive he became actively involved with mass struggles at Illinois 'Urbana-Champaign' which infuriated the US at the time.

Colonial movements

Later at Wisonsin-Madison University, he joined the Communist Party of the United States. In 1925 he was at the Colombia University on post-graduate studies and in 1927, he joined the League Against Imperialism in New York where he acquired the art of 'making hair raising speeches'.

In the UK, in 1929, Philip Gunawardena became an active member to protest against colonial movements along with a flock of such rebellious international students, namely, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, Jayaprakash Narayan and Krishna Menon of India, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Tan Malaka of Malaya, Jose Vasconcelos of Mexico, and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of Mauritius, who later became prominent rulers in their respective countries.

His dexterity in radiant oratory and journalistic skills made him a brilliant speaker, trade unionist, and political columnist in the UK. After coming across Dr. N. M. Perera, Colvin R de Silva, Leslie Gunawardena and Dr. S. A. Wickramasinghe in England, they formed the nucleus that was to become the LSSP in Sri Lanka. For his anti-imperialist and socialist work, the British government impounded his passport and it was only after the intervention of Sir D. B. Jayatilleke that Philip Gunawardena was allowed to land in Sri Lanka in 1932.

Once he returned home, he became actively involved in the Suriya Mal Movement which had been formed to assist the poor during the Malaria epidemic in the early 1930s. He was the founder of the LSSP in 1935, and led the Suriya Mal Campaign in 1934-1935 together with other LSSPers like Dr. N. M. Perera, Colvin R. de Silva, Leslie Gunawardena, Robert Gunawardena and many others.

The LSSP broke up following the entry of the USSR into the war against Hitler's Germany and the Communists supporting the war. The Communist elements were expelled and the LSSP became a Trotskyite movement. Philip Gunawardena was so outspoken that the colonial government banned the LSSP and he was imprisoned together with other LSSP leaders in 1940. His brother Robert Gunawardena organized the well known Jail-break on April 5, 1942 with the help of Jailor Solomon, and they all secretly escaped and were hiding in India. Finally, they were caught and imprisoned and in 1943 were brought back to Sri Lanka and jailed for six months. Following his release the LSSP split again with a section led by Colvin R de Silva leaving the LSSP on ideological grounds and joining the Bolshevik Leninist Party (BLP) of India.

Boralugoda Lion

In 1947, Philip Gunawardena was elected to the first Parliament to represent Avissawella but his involvement in the General Strike in 1947 cost him his status as a MP.

In 1951 he formed the VLSSP (Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party) and joined hands with the SLFP led by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to form the MEP (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna). The coalition won the historic 1956 general election reducing the UNP to eight seats. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Food and Co-operatives in the coalition government after being elected as MP for Avissawella.

As the Minister of Agriculture his vision was to implement several audacious steps to emancipate the poor masses from the shackles of poverty. Ratification of the Paddy Lands Act met with his ideas to remove the obstacles in the way of agricultural productivity. He was influential in establishing the Multi Purpose Cooperatives to help the farming community and supported the establishment of the Ceylon Transport Board by nationalising the bus companies. He activated the nationalisation of the harbour, established the Ceylon Insurance Corporation, and The Peoples' Bank to develop the country in a systematic and wholesome way. He was also implicated in the takeover of British Air Force Base in Katunayake and Naval Base in Trincomalee to remove the last manacles of colonialism.

Philip Gunawardena became the Minister of Industries and Fisheries in the National Government under Dudley Senanayake during 1965 - 1970 and established the Industrial Development Board to enhance state industrial corporations and private sector industries.

Philip Gunawardena was an eloquent speaker, always armed with an overwhelming knowledge of the internal affairs of the country. He exhibited his debating skills in parliamentary affairs and managed not only to overpower his opponents' with a 'Lion's roar' inside Parliament, but ensured that he scrutinised and evaluated every legislation before any white paper went through to become law in the Statue Book. At times he assisted the Speaker of the House to sustain discipline among members of the assembly during boisterous sessions which managed to earn him the reputation of the Boralugoda Lion.

He cast aside old fashioned dogmatic ideas and developed modern social development based on scientific lines. During his political career over four decades, he successfully executed his mission selflessly by treating everyone on a human level.

He never abused his power or position for his own personal gains or benefit. In 1970 he lost his Avissawella parliamentary seat, yet without being disheartened wanted to re-orientate the MEP when heunexpectedly fell ill and passed away on March 26, 1972. He had a magnanimous heart with full of enlightened thinking and some superlative qualities which he left behind for modern day politicians to emulate.

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