40th Death anniversary of Dudley Senanayake

April 12, 2013, 9:38 am

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"Dear father, the two of us are under the same roof. As your son I find it difficult to act in this manner. Sometimes I cannot agree with some of the proposals made by you to the State Council on behalf of the Board of Ministers. On many occasions I have to steadfastly oppose you. Such a thing happened today also. It caused me severe mental distress. So I have decided to resign from the State Council." – Dudley

"Although you are my son you have full freedom to oppose me at any moment. I brought you up and educated you to enable you to be an independent man and act according to your conscience. I am proud that you have been able to express your views before the State Council in a fearless and forthright manner. It will never harm our relationship as father and son." – DS

The above exchange of letters took place in mid 1940s between Dudley, an exceptional mixture of intellect and kindheartedness, who in certain instances disagreed with his father D.S. who was then Minister of Agriculture in the Council. A dignified son of a strong and rough father, Dudley inherited political leadership from him with characteristic simplicity. A charismatic leader, he never misused this quality to hoodwink the masses and is still spoken about even among those in opposing political camps.

Dudley Senanayake’s committed attachment to our country’s progress was in the field of agriculture, his first love. After initiating his food drive, one of his greatest pleasures was checking results in far off places in the rural countryside. Dudley, with his camera slung over one shoulder was quite often seen in those areas mingling with the rural peasantry; unlike many politicians his preference was to be behind and not in front of the camera. While in opposition he drove his own little Triumph Herald in and around Colombo visiting friends and relatives.

The Senanayakes of Botale were rooted to the land. Agriculture was their forte; The 1936 State council elections returned the Cambridge graduate and young Barrister from Inner Temple, the 24 year old Dudley, from Dedigama with a majority of over 8,000 votes, while the father, Don Stephen, the Minister of Agriculture, won the adjoining Mirigama seat comfortably. Speaking after the victory, Dudley stated,

"I saw that those who sought election were all new-comers to politics. As I had decided to devote my whole life to politics, I saw here an opportunity to start early. I saw no reason why my youth should be a hindrance to an early beginning."

Dudley Shelton Senanayake born on June 19, 1911, became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on two more occasions during the 1960s. He took over the Ministry of Agriculture from his father in 1946.

He was a brilliant speaker with a commanding voice; famed for his wit, parry and thrust in a Parliament adorned with the best and the brightest of Sri Lankan politicians, which included British University scholars SWRD, Drs N.M, Colvin, S.A. Wickremesinghe and Philip, Keuneman, J R Jayewardene - all orators of eminence and gentlemen of the finest calibre.

At St Thomas’, he became the head prefect, captained the college at cricket , hockey, boxing and athletics.

On March 26, 1952, four days after the death of PM D S Senanayake, he was the undisputed choice of the majority for premiership. Dudley was backed by the government group in parliament and his party the UNP. The Governor-General invited Dudley to form a government. He dissolved parliament and sought a fresh mandate from the people who did not hesitate to return his party with a comfortable majority. However, turmoil and violence in the country following withdrawal of rice subsidy and deaths as a result of police action made him leave politics. He returned to politics in 1957 and In March 1960, the UNP was able to form a minority government, that lasted only a month.

In 1965, addressing the nation after forming a National Government comprising of seven political parties that included two main minority and one Marxist party, he said,

"I am glad that circumstances have enabled me to form a National Government, which might have been denied me if I had obtained more seats. I am glad that I have been given the opportunity, I believe for the first time in this country, of making a sincere and genuine effort to solve the divisions among us racially. Let us cast all isms aside. I say that I and my Government whatever the ism, will seek the greatest good of the greatest number."

A hesitant politician, Dudley, however, tread the political field like a colossus till his death. He was invited by the British government for the coronation of Queen in 1950s, where the organizers wanted to him to share the same limousine with a lady from the Royal family. He not only flatly refused, but threatened to take the next flight home. The shocked Home office authorities apologized profusely for their ‘mistake’.

His profound knowledge in Buddha Dhamma was evident from a statement by Ven Kalukondayawe Pannasekara Thera, who said, "If Dudley hamu goes on like this, we of the Buddhist clergy may have to stop preaching sermons. I am amazed at his knowledge of Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy" The two of them were traveling back together after a function at a temple and had entered into a conversation of Buddhism.

The writer had the rare privilege of closely ‘monitoring’ the last few days of this great man while he was warded at Durdans hospital in April 1973. It so happened that the nurse who was at the bedside was none other than my former colleague’s wife, who related every little detail of this sensitive man’s mental agony over public exchange of letters with a second rung leader of the UNP during that time. Dudley had a habit of glancing through the papers every morning. She and the other staff took every precaution to prevent the newspaper that carried s0omething that might upset him reaching him on the day before his death. However the information leaked and his condition worsened. Dudley Shelton Senanayke, who was three times prime minister of this country, closed his eyes the next day.

I remember joining the long queue at Thunmulla around mid-night and paying my last respects to the great democrat at Woodlands only at 7.00 in the morning. Huge crowds lined the roads between the old Parliament and Independence Square to pay homage to this great man and tens of thousands observed the last rites. Bidding Dudley farewell, JR, his Comrade-in-Arms, who called Dudley Senanayake, ‘The Knight in shinning armour…..’ and the ‘Hamlet’ of Sri Lankan politics, paraphrased Shakespearean to say,

" Good night sweet prince, may flights of Devas sing thee to thy Sleep"

K K S Perera

Panadura.

island.lk