By Upatissa Pethiyagoda –

Dr. Upatissa Pethiyagoda

This colorful expression was introduced into the local lexicon by that brilliant mind and oratorical skill of Dr Colvin. R. De Silva. I do not recall the exact context which prompted this gem. It could have been the Land Reform or the Ceiling on Housing Bill. Both were controversial, and this was in effect, a jibe at those opposed to this “reformatory” legislation. In my opinion there are two other examples of willfully scrambled eggs. These are:

(i) The drastic interference by banning imports of Agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), and the imports of Palm oil, both “with immediate effect.”

ii) The Sinhala only (and Tamil also!) Act.

 The first stupidity led to a severe depletion of returns to already poor farmers, and In turn led to serious defaults on Bank Loans, and disastrous escalation of living costs. These nearly catastrophic consequences, could at least be rectified in a season or two.

Not so with the second, (National Languages Bill) imposition. This was essentially a fraudulent exercise and a colossal deception. It was quite unworthy of the supposed brilliance and nationalist conscience of the principal proponent of this abomination, (then PM) Mr SWRD Bandaranaike, who meanwhile ensured that his own children were educated overseas, and in English.

Along with this, the children of the other privileged few, too were thus able to enjoy the superior benefits on offer at prestigious schools and Universities abroad. Meanwhile, gullible people were led by empty promises of a national revival and a crowning glory of “The Common Man.” Prudence would dictate that reputable Universities should rather serve the prestige and efforts of the “Uncommon Man.”

Not only is this negative goal of pretended “equality” fraudulent, it also commits the crime of wrecking the futures of the large majority of under-endowed and much impoverished strata of society.

A Muslim, racist minister, ensured that while the majority communities (Sinhala and Tamil) were compulsorily required to abandon their right to pick the best medium for their children. Only the “Fat Cats” were able to nullify this stupidity, by educating their children abroad and in English, thus ensuring their social class and entry into the most rewarding (and better paid) local employment, and equipped for foreign employment as well.

There could only be a miniscule, about 12 or 13 million Sinhala speakers in a world population of 7,000 million. it is an absurdity beyond compare, to believe that in this world, the “Sinhala only“ bunch will have survival chances even as long as those of a snowball in hell.

Even ignoring the fact that language is primarily a tool of communication between persons and bluffing the gullible, tying up cultural and religious issues, and thus presenting a false narrative, linking language to cultural and sovereignty issues. It thereby became possible to entangle a deceived populace, to a disastrously emotive and false pretext of cultural, sovereignty.

We may also remind ourselves that we humans are as the only known species that has developed the ability to communicate vocally and by writing, with others of our fellow members. There must surely be divine or evolutionary purposes for this unique ability, which it wold be perilous to abandon. Our plight proves this reality.

Why was the free will and democratic fundamental right of a parent, to decide on the language of instruction of his child? The truth is that it was a diabolical way of a despicable strategy, to deprive children of Sinhala and Tamil parentage to a subordinate position, while retaining this privilege for the community of which the then Minister belonged.

After decades of deprivation, we are now beginning to realize the folly of surrendering our children to a bunch of scheming political dregs. If even today, a referendum is held on the subject of parental choice, it would be no surprise to find the near universal triumph of English.

Recently, the point was made that minister Suni Handuneththi, embarrassed himself by his faltering pronunciation at an international event. This continuing evil, brought back memories of a Minister, who had nominated himself to attend an important technical assembly, at CERN, (The International Centre for Nuclear Research). The poor fellow was a lawyer by training, and so was completely beyond his depth as would be a “fish out of water,” or a Daniel tossed into a Lion’s Den.    

The price that our nation has foolishly squandered in the formal pursuit of an evident hypocrisy, and created the certainty that a community may well be subject to future violence.

Here is an egg so comprehensively scrambled, that it has rotted to a degree where no miracle will be capable of delivering eggs, so that we may scramble them yet again. Stupidity, like History, has a way of repeating itself.