Story of a teacher who taught humanity to a pack of brutes!

Feb 03, 2017

The commencement of this chain of events was in 2012. That was the period that the Rajapaksas’ brutal rule engulfed the entire country. There was no end to the intimidations of innocent lives by the henchmen of the Rajapaksas. This is the story of a teacher who fearlessly stood up against such a pack of brutes.

Upali Gunasekara was at the time principal of Royal College, Colombo that created many a minister, prime minister and president for Sri Lanka. He was the best friend of the then secretary to the president Lalith Weeratunga. Their friendship was so strong that Gunasekara was able to subdue even Education Ministry officials. When the country’s hierarchy was maddened by power, it was a common occurrence that its henchmen got government ministries to play according to their tunes. Top officials of the ministry had to do the bidding of Gunasekara.

 

Misconduct of Royal’s Upali

 

The deputy principal of Royal College at the time was a female, who was an agreeable, friendly and bonny character. Her son too, studied at the same school, and she was a good woman having a good family life. But, the miserable principal wanted to give her various gratifications in order to lure her into agreeing to his carnal desires. However, knowing her responsibilities and obligations well, she never gave into him.

 

Revengeful pack of brutes

 

We name as the no. 1 brute the principal who tried to lure this beautiful woman who had a good family life and fulfilled her professional responsibilities. After being rejected by her, Gunasekara attempted to take revenge from her. He wrote to the Education Ministry that the deputy principal was inefficient and not suited to the position. Then, through his friend the secretary to the president, he got her removed from the position and transferred to the ministry. What was left for her to do in the face of revenge by this brute of a principal was to file a fundamental rights petition. Some time later, a disciplinary inquiry was held and she was cleared of all the charges.

 

Taking revenge from her son

 

However, the revenge taking by the brutes did not stop. The ex-deputy principal’s son was a talented squash player representing Royal College. In that year, the annual squash championship was to take place at S. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia. He prepared to compete. But, the principal was bent on taking revenge from the son, after failing to take revenge from the mother. He instructed the squash coach to remove his name from the list of players representing the school. On the day of the tournament, the teacher accompanied her son to S. Thomas College, and related the entire story to the judges and requested that her son be allowed to take part. Understanding that it was an act of revenge, the judges requested the coach to include her son’s name. But, fearing the principal, he disagreed. That is how the principal destroyed the future of a talented sportsman.

 

That is the period Gunasekara was misusing his powers to the maximum. But, unafraid, the teacher said emotionally, “They are trying to destroy my child. A thunderbolt will hit them.” Thereafter, a pack of brutes gets together to act against her.

 

Gunasekara lodged a complaint with Mt. Lavinia headquarters police against her about ‘an incident of threat.’ The teacher did not attend the inquiry. Then, Gunasekara lodged a second complaint, and called brute no. 2, the then DIG Anura Senanayake, into the scene. Notorious for doing the menial jobs of the Rajapaksa mansion, Senanayake was instructed on the matter by brute no. 3, Lalith Weeratunga. On the instructions of the secretary to the president, Senanayake handed over the matter to Mt. Lavinia HQI D.S. Pushpakumara, brute no. 4.

 

Pushpe Aiya, the Mt. Lavinia HQI

 

Something should be said about his Pushpakumara too. It was to him that calls had been taken from the personal telephone line of the then first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa on the day ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen was murdered. This Pushpakumara was so much prepared to listen to the sorrows of the Rajapaksa princes that Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, called him ‘Pushpe Aiya’. As the saying goes, bird of a feather flock together. Garbage is heaped on garbage.

 

That is how a pack of brutes got together to help the brute Gunasekara to take revenge.

 

Suhada Gamlath 

 

His heart warmed by the description that Gunasekara ‘will be hit with a thunderbolt’, Pushpakumara immediately reported to the Mt. Lavinia magistrate’s court, which referred it to the attorney general’s department. Thereafter, Senanayake and Weeratunga duo turned to solicitor general Suhada Gamlath to obtain legal advice on behalf of Gunasekara. That is how brute no. 5 joined the pack to take revenge from an innocent woman. Studying the case on behalf of Gunasekara, Gamlath informed court that it was an act of ‘criminal threat.’ Accordingly, the teacher was summoned to courts, and an attempt to refer the matter to the mediation board was foiled by the Senanayake-Weeratunga-Gamlath trio with the intention of cornering her.

 

In trouble after January 08

 

This pack of brutes fell into hot water after the people expelled the corrupt Rajapaksa family at the 08 January 2015 presidential election. After the misconducts of Gunasekara came to be revealed, he lost his position and ended up the education ministry. Senanayake was sent behind bars for his being an accomplice to crime. Then, our heroine went to Gamlath and asked him to explain the charge against her. Losing all his powers and in hot water, Gamlath apologized and told her, “Now, Upali too, is not in the school. Let’s settle this amicably.” After the situation took a reversal, each of the brutes went to her, confessed and pleaded with her to save them.

 

That is how everything came to be revealed.

 

Declaration of a real teacher

 

After all these, the admission of children to grade one started. Our heroine is now the principal is a leading girls’ school in Colombo. The daughter of the younger sister of Pushpakumara, now an ASP, applied to gain admission. According to the level of qualifications, her admission hung on the balance, with the principal having the final say. At the interview, Pushpakumara’s sister introduced herself as the younger sister of ASP Pushpakumara with a request to admit her child to the school. “Do not fear. I will do it,” was what the principal said. If she wanted it, she could have prevented the child’s admission with one stroke of the pen. But, she displayed the true humane qualities of an ideal teacher, as the child was not to be blamed for the sins of a blood relation of hers. 

But, the sister believed the daughter was admitted on the strength of her brother’s powers. Immediately she gave a call to Pushpakumara and gave told the news. Without having much brains, Pushpakumara believed the principal was frightened of him and admitted the girl to the school. Reminding himself of his powers of the past, he gave a call to the principal and thanked her. She replied, “I do not want your thanks. I am not like you. I do not take revenge from children.” Shaken, Pushpakumara apologized and tried through various means to get her to agree to meeting him to tender an apology. Saying, “I do not want to meet you. Do not try to come here.”, she disconnected the line.

She has told her friends that she would continue with the case filed against her by Gunasekara and bring all those involved to book. The proper answer to anyone intoxicated by power and abused same is bringing that person before the law. We should pay our respects to her for being true to her role as a teacher and not taking revenge from the relative of one among a pack of brutes bent on taking revenge from her, and the law should ensure justice for her. Also, this should be an example to others not to become mad dogs where there is power.

 

Truth prevails

 

Last week, chief justice Sripavan ruled that her fundamental rights have been violated. 

 

Lanka News Web has all details of this exemplary, brave and courageous teacher, but we do not publish them as we respect her privacy.