5th Column

Symbols don't reflect true nature of some parties
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "I think the Commissioner of Elections should be asked to retire..."
"I believe he wants to retire but they are not allowing him to do so" Bindu's father Percy said, "but what makes you think he should go?"
"He is not doing his job properly…" Bindu said.

"Why do you say that?" Percy was surprised, "he is an honest man trying to do a good job of work…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu argued, "I think he has made many mistakes in allocating election symbols for our political parties…"
"Why do you say that?"

"Why, thaaththa, what about the symbol for this new Red and Blue alliance of ours?" Bindu asked.
"What is wrong with the betel leaf that has been allocated to them…?"
"Maybe," Bindu said, "the butterfly was a more appropriate symbol for them…"
"Why is that?"

"Butterflies come in all shapes and colours and quite pretty to look at…"
"But," Percy said, "I thought the Reds and the Blues didn't want the butterfly because they thought people would make comparisons and say that it was born from an ugly worm…"
"And," Bindu said, "all the butterfly does is fly from flower to flower draining all the honey…"

"And do you think that is what the Reds and Blues would do with the country if they are elected?"
"Well, that is why I say the Elections Commissioner should have allocated them that symbol…" Bindu explained.
"But Bindu, the butterfly was rejected by the Reds and Blues themselves," Percy said, "In fact, I think the betel leaf is a better symbol for them…"
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?"

"Why, doesn't legend have it that the betel leaf came from the land of the snakes? There certainly are quite a few snakes in the grass in that alliance…" Percy noted.
"But, thaaththa, isn't the colour of the betel leaf green?"
"That's appropriate too," Percy said, "because this alliance is now saying they want to continue the policies of the greens like talking to the Tigers and encouraging the private sector…"

"I didn't think of it that way…" Bindu acknowledged.
"And don't forget," Percy observed, "the betel leaf is split right down the middle which is what the alliance will be on many issues…"
"Are you trying to suggest that like the betel leaf, the alliance will eventually be chewed and thrown away by the people?"

"That could well be their fate," Percy said, "but it just shows that the Commissioner of Elections has done a good job with the symbols…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu protested, "I am still not happy with the symbols…"
"Why is that?"

"What about the Greens who have been allocated the elephant symbol?"
"But Bindu," Percy said, "that has been their symbol for a long time. This Commissioner of Elections did not allocate them that symbol…"
"That is exactly what I mean," Bindu said, "it is time he changed that symbol…"
"And why would you want to do that?"

"Because the elephant is a majestic animal with a lot of power and commands the respect of everyone and that is not appropriate for the Greens anymore…"
"So, what do you think should be its symbol now?"
"How about a dog in a kennel, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.
"Why a dog, Bindu?" Percy was surprised.

"Why, thaaththa, the Greens are like these big dogs in their kennels whose bark is worse than their bite. They make a lot of noise but don't do any real work and now, they have been well and truly caged by their mistress who gave them a bone to chew on and they fell for that trap…"
"What bone is that?" Percy wanted to know.

"Why, thaaththa, the Mano-Malik committee…"
Percy began to think that maybe the Commissioner of Elections hadn't done his job well after all.

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