5th Column

My dear Wije,

I thought of writing to you because you have suddenly become the talk of the town, just when we thought that we will be spared of political cross talk, at least during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year when the entire nation appears to follow an extended ‘nonagathaya’ for about a week or so.

That was not to be, and the controversy this time was not about the coronavirus either – although it was still something to do with the Chinese. It all began when you chose to publicly criticise the Port City project, claiming that when it is completed, Paradise will become yet another Chinese colony.

Then, the very next day, you are back telling the media that following your claims, Gota maama called you. You allege that he didn’t use very polite language and that you had to reply in a similar manner. As a result of that alleged conversation, you are now claiming that you feel ‘threatened’.

Wije, it is very courageous of you to publicly criticise a project launched by the government of which you are a member. We admire you for that. However, if I am to be very honest with you, I am both surprised and confused at this turn of events – as I am sure many others are. I will tell you why.

You share more than just your surname with the ‘R’ clan. You hail from Walasmulla in Hambantota which has been the home turf of the ‘R’ family for generations. In fact, when Mahinda maama was once asked whether he would oppose you, he said he won’t because you were a ‘gamey miniha’.

You began your political journey with Satellite, but when she offered you a ministerial post you declined that. You accepted a portfolio only when Mahinda maama offered you one a few years later. He put you in charge of state banks. You unearthed some unsavoury details and you had to quit.

Your stay on the government benches was short lived. You refused to vote for Mahinda maama’s budget. Then, the Greens invited you to join them and you did so. In the Green camp, you were seen as a staunch supporter of the Green Man who was at that time being challenged by young Sajith.

We do remember that when the ‘R’ clan impeached our first lady Chief Justice, you spoke against that as head of the lawyers’ association. We also recall that, while in the opposition, you once proposed that clergy from any religion should be banned from becoming MPs – though you weren’t successful.

The Green Man rewarded you for your support when he formed his government with Cheerio Sirisena by assigning you the subject of Justice. However, there were soon many whispers that it was you who was ensuring that the wheels of justice were turning very slowly for the ‘R’ clan.

It was none other than the Field Marshall – who recently had a field day baiting old Chamal – who cast aspersions on your integrity. He produced photos of you and your family holidaying in Disneyland with that Avant Garde chap. As we all know, Avant Garde was Gota maama’s brainchild.

Whatever the truth of those claims, you couldn’t stay with the Greens for long. In what seems to be a now familiar pattern, you began criticising some of their decisions publicly. The Green Man tried his best to sort it out and asked you to apologise. You didn’t, and again, you had to quit.

You went one step further. You told a newspaper – and later Parliament – that it was you, when you were Minister of Justice, who prevented Gota maama being arrested over the Avant Garde issue. Even if we did believe you, that raises a question as to why a minister was interfering with legal processes!

As a result, no one was really surprised when you hitched your wagon to Gota maama’s star at the last elections. He won, and you thought you would be an automatic choice for a plum Cabinet post. We heard that you were offered a state minister’s post. Miffed, you declined that too.

Although criticising governments and leaving them seems like a bad habit that you have developed, Wije, we are all wondering why you have suddenly decided to abandon the ‘R’ clan who, by your own admission, you helped even when you were in the government and they were in the opposition.

You will tell us this is not about parties or people but principles. However, after seeing you cross over from one camp to another and then return to the first with hardly a murmur, and seeing your links to Avant Garde which haven’t been denied, most people will take that with a pinch of salt.

There is also nowhere for you to go if you leave Gota maama and the ‘pohottuwa’ party. There is no Green party to return to. You can’t surely rub shoulders with the Field Marshall in the ‘telephone’ party. So, you may have to stay put at the ‘Abhayaraamaya’. Think about that, will you, Wije?

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: We know that Ranjan is in jail for insulting our courts, but you could have learnt a lesson from him. Just imagine, you could have followed his example and recorded the phone call in which you allege that Gota maama insulted you. That could have saved you from a lot of trouble, Wije!