Senanayake Rule (1948 AD - 1956 AD) of SriLanka

Senanayake Rule (1948 AD - 1956 AD)

Following the independence, D.S Senanayake was elected as a prime minister and, together with his UNP party, formed the first independent government. His opponents mostly were Tamils and communists. At first his government runs smoothly, concentrating on maintaining a strong economy, strengthening social services and also weakening the opposition. In order to achieve the last policy, the government disfranchised the hill-country Tamils by depriving their citizenships. (Eventually, between 1960s and 1980s some of the hill-country Tamils were repatriated to India while others were granted Sri Lankan citizenship.) D.S Senanayake was killed in an accident in 1952 and was succeed by his son, Dudley Senanayake.

During the period of Dudley Senanayake as a prime minister, he failed to accomplish one of the first policies instituted after the independence. It was free rations of rice policy but as this rice was imported and its price started to escalate worldwide, the attempts to increase the price of rice in the country (in 1953) resulted in mass riots and many deaths followed by the announcement of state of emergency. Dudley was resigned and was replaced by his uncle, Sir John Kotelawala, who easily was defeated in 1956 general election and the next coalition led by SWRD Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).