5th Column

My dear (A)Prasanna,

I thought of writing to you because you are making history, being a cabinet minister while at the same time being a person convicted in a court of law. Of course, we have had ministers being convicted of offences, but I cannot remember someone who was convicted and still continued to remain a minister!

Making history is not something new to your family. Your brother Arjuna made history by leading us to the Cricket World Cup over twenty-five years ago. He made us all so proud to be Sri Lankans. However, the manner in which you have made history now makes us ashamed of being Sri Lankans. 

Just the other day, you were convicted of abusing your power when you were the Chief Minister of the Western Province by threatening a person and demanding a ‘ransom’ of 64 million rupees, no less, to get some work done by you. You were given a fine and a suspended sentence for your efforts.

We know that the wheels of justice turn in mysterious ways. That is why murderers are pardoned and the Police cannot find or arrest their own senior officers charged with offences.

Remember, Basil maama was recently told that he had been acquitted of all charges in relation to the Malwana mansion? Maybe he let slip more than he intended to, when he said that he returned to Parliament to clear himself of all charges against him. That sounds like a good modus operandi!

It was therefore, in a sense, very refreshing to hear the verdict in your case. Here was a sitting cabinet minister, only recently in charge of Public Security, being found guilty, convicted and given a sentence of rigorous imprisonment. Justice was not dead.

What happened next was most interesting. You were fortunate not to be sent to prison, you were given a suspended sentence. So, despite your conviction, you literally walked out of court a free man. And ofcourse you have the right to appeal which you have done. Let justice take its course.

Also, I didn’t know that you were a tourist attraction in our country, (A)Prasanna. I can imagine if someone said your brother Arjuna was a tourist attraction. He is known the world over and people paid money to see him in action. I’m sure they would do so again, if he were to play again.

However, in pleading for a lesser sentence, your lawyer told court that if you were sent to prison, it will convey an impression that the government was unstable which can result in lower tourist arrivals! The sheer logic of that argument baffles me!

Pardon me, (A)Prasanna, I would have thought that tourists would like to visit a country where everyone was equal before the law, not a country where the minister who was until recently in charge of law and order is a convict found guilty of threatening people and demanding millions of rupees.

Even after all that, we thought Gota maama would want you to resign as a minister and Chief Government Whip – which is what any decent person would do. He didn’t. Perhaps he thought that there was no better person than a convict to control the current bunch of uncouth ‘pohottuwa’ MPs!

Since then, you have said in Parliament that you are still ‘innocent’ because you have appealed the verdict against you. We also admire your sense of empathy and compassion for the MPs who lost their houses after the ‘mynah’ inspired riots on May 9. That includes you. That is why, when the masses are finding it difficult to afford three meals a day, you have prioritised building new houses for those others.

You must be looking forward to your appeal. Even ‘Choka malli’ from Ratnapura who was convicted of murder was acquitted on appeal so I can’t blame you if you are optimistic about becoming ‘nidos kota nidahas’ as they say.

Then there is also this audio tape circulating on social media where you appear to tell an official in quite colourful language that you would break his bones, if he doesn’t follow your orders and sign a document.

(A)Prasanna, we remember how your late Papa Reggie was a very proud man when Arjuna brought the World Cup home. Arjuna hasn’t done what Imran Khan did in politics but Reggie would still be proud of him today. Seeing your recent antics however, Reggie must surely be turning in his grave!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: Since your conviction, you claimed several times in Parliament that you are innocent because you have lodged an appeal. You must be careful not to utter the same words outside Parliament.