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‘Politics’ of AMUDE : Archaic with a Proud History! – By KKS PERERA A few years ago, the government withdrew the fertilizer subsidy sparking widespread demonstrations led by the JVP’s Govi Sammelanaya. The media widely circulated images of the ‘peasants’ dressed in their traditional field attire, the lion cloth (Amude) and protesting on the streets. However, some media outlets were cautious about using the term ‘Amude,’ recognizing that it is becoming obsolete. The government politicians argued that many of the demonstrators labeled as ‘farmers’ were actually individuals from various other industries and trades in the Colombo suburbs. In the 1930s, during his tenure as Minister of Works in the State Council, Sir John Kotelawala was eager to extend the railway lines beyond their existing routes. He often traveled on his inspection tours in very casual attire—just a T-shirt and shorts. On one such outing, he accompanied his leader, D. S. ...