Karu – a great celebration to Sri Lanka’s legislature

By Afreeha Jawad

On his retirement Karu Jayasuriya unfailingly and unceasingly leaves behind a legacy of unimpeachable integrity. To him, the world of robbery, deceit, cunning, manipulation, murder, the underworld and the like were total unknown.

He was indeed an excellent Buddhist and carried the tray of flowers to the Buddha devoid of blood stained hands. His utterance of pansil came off a tongue that knew no cunning and deceit. In short, he radiated gentlemanship in his conduct and was much hated for his very high standards. He was indeed an ornament and great celebration in a legislature that did not fall short of moral dislocation.

Karu, at all times, also did not suffer the cheap rhetoric of the ordinary politician or display vanity of a bureaucratic hump, modest to the point of even thrusting this writer into being indignant when he should have been in the forefront of publicity seekers bragging about his magnanimity in handling his personal funds in public interest.

Numerous instances in which he tried to control my writing of his modesty met with unending arguments but I had my way when finally I saw his face turning salted lime seeing it print. The limits of endurance on one occasion even compelled me into saying, “Sir, you be in your Speaker’s chair and leave me to my journalist’s fist, ” which invited him to fits of laughter. Such was his distaste for publicity and this time I decided to go it alone without his involvement. His sense of magnanimity did invite much envy and resentment and I must recall one glaring instance when recently on the pavement in Union Place, on seeing that ever green but red champagne socialist Vasudeva Nanayakkara about to board his four wheeler red chariot, I told him, “ Vasu, I had a lovely interview with an honest man, Karu. Even his salary goes to the charity. This, he did not tell me but I learnt from a reliable source.”

“Oh ! he is a rich man so he can give,” exclaimed Vasu.

“Yes of course all rich politicians give their salaries to charity,” I retorted with biting sarcasm, leaving him to think aloud standing on the pavement.

I have known Karu for well over 45 years and my father much longer. Had he been just another corrupt politician this father/daughter friendship with him would not have survived all those chronological years.  

Those who cannot raise a finger at Karu on moral deviance, resort to nitpicking on just one issue and that was his crossover to the Mahinda camp – they have got to consciously rethink this allegation. He did so for the sake of national service at the height of war with the LTTE. Even if it be so Karu’s so-called irregularity can in no way be compared with those “lawmakers” who are accused of plundering national wealth or committing various crimes. Sri Lanka ironically does not miss out on a ‘reputation’ where, contrary to public expectations, lawmakers have turned law breakers, where selfless service is much anticipated but not even least delivered, where personal interest is much preferred with wallet expansion in mind.

Yet, they, without an iota of shame, refer to themselves as Buddhists and like the proverbial cock of the walk are seen venerating the Buddha at every temple, giving alms and offering ata pirikara to the clergy. This in no way implies politicians of other faith are devoid of such guilt. Certainly they are twin brothers in moral incongruency. The less said the better about this shared evil. Yet the Rata Jatiya call is not found wanting.

In this whirlpool of mud, Karu stands tall like the lotus untouched by the sullied environs or perhaps like the wild flower that spreads its fragrance this time not in the desert air but the dreaded air. It’s saddening if not mind-boggling to observe that insufficient publicity has been the unfair share of this genial gent.  Nor has he attempted such demeaning self propagating behaviour. If we in the media have failed to highlight this politician, a gentleman of excellence, adequately of our own accord, then we also ought to share the guilt of rising corruption in the country.

Interestingly, noteworthy was the Malaysians who did it their way in handling corruption. Having got drawn to integrity of leadership, the enlightened Malaysian citizenry preferred to have as their Prime Minister 92-year-old Mahathir Mohammed.  However, in this country, Karu at 70 was considered too old to be head of state strangely though his grit and will to efface a legislative inaccuracy we all bore witness to as he valiantly fought to safeguard democracy in the face of sheets of chili powder and flying chairs. Truly the Malaysians put integrity before age in installing Mahathir as state head whereas the dull Sri Lankan community placed age before integrity and wrote off emotional brilliance which could have in otherwise circumstances contributed immensely for national well being.

Refuting others’ concocted belief of Karu as a chronological non-entity, it is the view of many that one cannot keep pace with his fast speech . “Afreeha, it’s a manufacturer’s defect, “ he said leaving those present with a hearty laugh. Very little is known of Karu’s wit and humour which he displays with dexterity and skill as and when the occasion should have it.

Karu leads an exceptionally simple life — quiet and dignified yet asserts himself in rightful circumstances when the call to do so stirs his moral conscience. Aggressive self marketing is not up his street.  Cold, calculated scheming ways and ambition are not to his taste . To him, the much obsessed with ‘I first’ Sri Lankan mentality is a reversal with ‘I’ being not even last for the old class, traditional, orthodox Sinhala Buddhists of his era never suffered the pain of a self inflated ego. Extremely compassionate in his dealings, he still upholds the authentic Theravada Buddhist doctrine — the original Buddha script so very near and dear to him, amply displayed his conduct.

He truly embraces the ‘aney apoi’ culture so unique to the Sinhala Buddhist people. For how long it will survive is left to be seen in a society gradually moving away from gemenshcaft (traditional) to geselschaft (modern) of which Karu is representative.