Our
politicians, blue or green, serve themselves first
"Thaaththa",
Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this fuss about Satellite?"
"Why, who is fussing about her?" Bindu's father Percy
wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa everybody is fussing about what she has said."
Bindu said.
"Why, what has she said?"
"Why, she is supposed to have said that someone wanted a bribe
to get someone's child into a good school."
"But didn't she then say that she never said such a thing."
"That is part of the problem, thaaththa." Bindu said.
"Why is that?"
"She seems to change her mind so often."
"How can you say that?"
"Why, she once promised to abolish the Presidency and even
set herself a deadline for it."
"Well," Percy argued, "all of us have forgotten about
that now."
"Then," Bindu persisted, "she called for a referendum
and then suddenly changed her mind and cancelled it."
"But why is everyone so concerned about what she says?"
Percy queried.
"It's probably because she is still the boss and also because
of what she has said every now and again." Bindu suggested.
"Why, what else has she said?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, didn't she recently say that some people want her killed
and if that happens she will take 500 with her."
"Well," Percy said, "she might now say that she never
said that."
"And do we give her the benefit of the doubt?"
"Well," Percy said, "other people also make allegations
against her."
"What allegation are those?"
"Why," Percy recalled, "there were those who said
she carried a bomb in her handbag."
"So," Bindu asked, "while these allegations and counter-allegations
continue, who are we to believe?"
"Is that important, Bindu?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu asked, surprised, "Isn't
it important to know who is telling the truth?"
"Of course it is," Percy agreed, "but isn't it more
important that both sides are making these allegations?"
"How can you say that?" Bindu asked, puzzled.
"Why, Bindu, just imagine if there were no such allegations."
"Wouldn't it then be wonderful with the greens and blues working
together for the sake of the country."
"Of course not." Percy disagreed.
"How is that?"
"Why, Bindu, if all goes well soon there will be no war to
talk about. Then, what else do we have to talk about except these
fights between the blues and the greens? And if that too is taken
away from us because Satellite and the greens are living happily
ever after, we will be terribly bored." Percy explained.
"But thaaththa, isn't it important for the country that the
blues and greens work together instead of trying to sabotage what
each other is doing."
"In an ideal world, that would indeed be so." Percy agreed.
"Then, what is wrong with trying to achieve that now?"
Bindu demanded.
"Because, Bindu," Percy said, "politics in our land
is very different to an ideal situation."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because," Percy said, "our politicians, be they
blue or green, will only be serving themselves first; so, we always
need someone to oppose them and make accusations against them. That's
the only way we can keep them in check."
Bindu didn't feel he could argue with that.
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