‘I even took a break to listen to Anura’s budget. I remembered the budget that NM, presented after forming a coalition government in 1970 as the Finance minister. We were excited to hear that budget. The 1970 government came to power to begin the journey towards a socialist state in Sri Lanka. We were waiting for NM to lay the foundation for that journey…’
This is a comment made by an old leftist.
‘So, budgets of NM and Anura same…?’
The old leftist was asked by his friend.
NM didn’t lay that foundation the way we expected. He also presented the reasons why he couldn’t do it. However, Anura’s budget is like an explosive charge placed on the foundation laid by JR to turn Sri Lanka into a capitalist state…”
The leftist said with great worry.
He was right. In 1970, NM, Colvin and others demanded power to lead Sri Lanka towards a socialist state. At that time, JVP was also blinded by their talk. In 1970, JVP pulled out all the shots to bring the NM’s Samagi Peramuna government to power. They went down to the villages and campaigned.
NM’s Samagi Peramuna government, which JVP too toiled hard to bring to power presented the first budget and it said:
‘Small beggars cannot make big choices…’
Hansard
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NM told this story while presenting the budget. He highlighted agreements made by the previous Dudley Senanayake government with the International Monetary Fund and the damage it caused to the Sri Lankan economy. He said that even if unwilling they have to repay and fulfil the conditions that Dudley’s UNP government’s loans. He did not just keep idling after making this statement. He understood very well the mandate received by the Samagi Peramuna in 1970 and attacked the upper elite and upper middle class of Sri Lanka with his budget proposals. He introduced new taxes for them. He increased the taxes levied on them. He imposed a capital tax. He imposed income limits. He created a compulsory savings system. He created a maximum on housing and land ownership.
However, JVP did not agree with NM’s budget. The JVP incited the youth against the government stating after gaining power promising to build a socialist state and now the government protecting the capitalist system. They gave weapons to youth and rebelled to overthrow the NM’s government in a revolution to establish a socialist government.
‘There is no shortcut to socialism…’
This is the advice given to the JVP by the NM, unable to tolerate the JVP rebellion. The JVP launched the 1971 rebellion saying that they are not ready to be deceived by NMs again.
This JVP also made Anura Kumara the President. In an interview with Mawbima newspaper on 2nd January 2022 Anura said this:-
‘No country ever rescued by going to the International Monetary Fund. Today, the most popular approach has become that of going to the International Monetary Fund. There are some must fulfilled conditions that must be met by going to the International Monetary Fund….’
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
2022.01.02
‘Mawbima’
Anura, who said this, recently presented a budget prepared by the agreement signed by Ranil with the IMF, which was prepared jointly with former Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena and Central Bank Governor Nandalal.
In NM’s budget speech, the agreements signed by Dudley’s government with the IMF and the consequences of the budget were presented, but Anura did not say a word against the IMF. Unlike N.M, he did not tax the capitalists. When Ranil signed the IMF agreement, the IMF had proposed to impose a wealth tax by 2025, but Anura did not implement it.
‘Then this budget has been prepared for the capitalists…?’
Economic advisors, chairmen and directors appointed to state institutions by Anura’s government, are all businessmen. They are the former chairmen, board members, and advisory board members of those governments who advised Gota’s government and Ranil’s government. This budget was prepared by them. NM’s budget was prepared to tax the wealthy businessmen who became rich under UNP governments and he used that money to provide relief to the poor. He fearlessly taxed multinational companies in the most powerful countries in the world, including the United States.
‘If the IMF agreement cannot be breached, why didn’t Anura impose tax without breaking the IMF agreement…?’
That’s the problem. Anura must be thinking that if the wealthy are taxed, the wealthy will get angry and throw money against the government and overthrow it. But governments don’t fall when businessmen throw money against them. Sri Lankan businessmen were happy with Ranil’s government. Not only that, they also threw money at opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs to join Ranil’s government. No matter how much money spent to protect Ranil’s government; the public was disappointed with the government and overthrew the government.
But the JVP government thinks that by implementing Ranil’s economic policies, it is doing a great service. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, during the budget debate, mocked Samagi Jana Balawega MP Harsha de Silva with this Sinhala song:
‘The girl I fell in love with the other day
is cuddling her son…
Wearing my pants and
goes as it is his…’
He quoted this song and said that Harshala is now jealous because government is implementing Ranil’s economic policies to the letter.
The 6.9 million voters who voted for Gota in 2019 have reduced to 3.0 million in 2024 because Pohottuwa opted to be the protector of JR’s nephew Ranil. If Anura becomes Ranil’s nephew, it is not known what the 6.8 million who voted for the JVP will do.
