The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna will commemorate its 56th anniversary today.
The party was established on 21st February 1956 and it received support from several national organizations. Among those who supported in the formation of the M.E.P. was S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and D.A. Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Philip Gunawardena and William Silva of the revolutionary Sama Samaja Party and K.M.P. Rajarathne of the Basha Peramuna. The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna succeeded in building a five fold force of the monks, the indigenous medical practitioners, the teachers, the farmers and the workers.
The M.E.P. was able to curtail the United National Party to winning only eight seats in the 1956 election and win 51 seats.
The Paddy Lands Act, nationalization of buses was the results of this historical revolution. In commemoration of this peoples’ revolution a function will be held at the open air theater of the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo today. The Chief Guest of this function will be Minister of Water Supply and Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena.
Courtesy: Government Information Department
