5th Column

My dear Susil,

I thought I should write to you this week after hearing that you had been unceremoniously sacked from your position as State Minister by Gota maama for the crime of making some critical comments about agriculture policy and the price of vegetables at the Delkanda ‘pola’ last Sunday.

You were annoyed and angry at what happened, Susil, but I don’t think you should be surprised. After all, when a foot soldier criticises a Lieutenant Colonel, say, for example, in the Gajaba Regiment, and says the Lieutenant Colonel is not marshalling his troops properly, he should expect to be punished.

It is not that you said anything scandalous or revealed an important State secret. You only commented on the plight of farmers and consumers alike and said your colleagues in charge of Trade and Agriculture, Bandula and Mahindananda had failed because the crop was less and prices were rising.

You were asked about being part of the decision-making process. You said that you were not, because you were kept ‘on the bench’. I guess there is Dayasiri, Duminda and you, senior in rank but given token State ministries. Others such as SB and Anura Priyadarshana have been totally ignored.

It must be even more annoying because you have been with these same people for decades. Why, we first heard of you many years ago when Satellite gave up her job as Chief Minister of the Western Province to take up the Prime Minister’s job and, a few months later, you took up that position.

Even if that made you resentful, Susil, you missed a trick when you lashed out at the Delkanda ‘pola’. It was only weeks ago that the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture suffered the same fate for saying pretty much the same thing you said. So, you should have known what the consequences are.

I am sure you must be disgusted not only at what was done, but the way in which it was done. The Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture was informed by a text message that he was sacked. You on the other hand learnt of your dismissal when Gota maama’s office issued a media release!

You must also be wondering why different people are treated differently. Gammanpila, Vasu and Wimal have gone to court against a Cabinet decision, yet they have not been sacked. So, all these arguments about how you violated collective responsibility don’t really seem to be valid any more.

Then, there is talk about maintaining ‘discipline’. That chap Lohan ran amok in Prison but he continues to be a State minister, only his Prisons portfolio was removed. Another, pardoned for contempt of court, was asked to chair a task force on ‘one country, one law’, of all things!

So, Susil, in this land of ours, the law does not apply equally to everyone. Some are more ‘equal’ than others. Most people had known that for some time. You may not have realised that when you were ‘on the inside, looking out’ but you will see it more now, when you are ‘on the outside, looking in’.

What must be bothering you most is the fact that unlike some people in the Blue camp, you were not one of those who switched sides to Aiyo Sirisena after he got the top job. You remained loyal to Mahinda maama through good times and bad and campaigned for him to become Prime Minister.

That was when Aiyo Sirisena made that infamous address to the nation saying he would never appoint Mahinda maama as Prime Minister even if the Blue alliance won the election. He was so annoyed with you for backing Mahinda maama that he sacked you as Secretary of the Blue alliance.

Yet, it seems as if you have been given the ‘karapincha’ treatment – discarded after being used – while others who sing the praises of you-know-who are rising stars today. Curiously, Aiyo Sirisena is making noises similar to what you are saying now. Politics makes for strange bedfellows, isn’t it?

What matters is not whether you are right or wrong but whether you openly criticise the Royal family or not. If you do, you are out. That is the lesson you must learn. Though new to politics, Sabry learnt that quickly. So, even when he opposed Gnanasara thero he did it quietly and he was asked to stay.

Aiyo Sirisena left the Blue camp when he realised he will never be PM and that real power rested with the Royal family. Was your outburst also because you were left on the ‘bench’? If you were also included in the Cabinet, wouldn’t the conversation at the Delkanda ‘pola’ be very different, Susil?

Some are hailing you for having the courage to speak out at least now, but I am not quite sure whether that alone will make you a hero. You are one of those who raised your hand to endorse what has happened until now. So, we wish you well, but we will have to wait and see what you do next.

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: Susil, we saw you leave your ministry in a three-wheeler after being sacked. I am not sure why you did that. Was it to show that your hands are clean and that you didn’t even own a vehicle after 30 years in politics? What on earth happened to all the vehicle permits you must have been given?