JR
knew when to go, will the other know?
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "why have they
suddenly remembered JR?"
"Why, what makes you think they have?" Percy, Bindu's
father asked, "no one has even built a statue for him in this
country although three of his disciples have statues built in their
honour…"
"But
thaaththa," Bindu argued, "someone has remembered him
at long last because they have issued a stamp in his honour…"
"No, Bindu," Percy disagreed, "I think they have
always remembered him…"
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Why, Bindu, even though everyone loves to hate him and blame
him for everything that has gone wrong in this country, they have
also learnt some very good lessons from him…"
"Why
do you say that?"
"Why, Bindu, Satellite is aiming to do exactly what JR did
over twenty years ago…"
"Twenty years ago, JR refused to have an election and had a
Referendum instead, thaaththa," Bindu argued, "Satellite
at least had elections…"
"But don't forget that she promised to abolish the Executive
Presidency ten years ago but never did that after she got a taste
of what it meant…"
"But she never stripped the civic rights of the Leader of the
Opposition, like JR did…" Bindu argued.
"Why
should she?" Percy countered, "the present Leader of the
Opposition is one of her strongest assets…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "she never asked for
undated letters of resignation from her MPs…"
"She didn't need to," Percy pointed out, "she just
sacked the whole lot after two years by dissolving Parliament for
her own advantage…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu persisted, "the homes of Supreme
Court judges were not stoned during her time…"
"Why
should she?" Percy queried, "after all, the higher courts
have seldom disagreed with her views…"
"May be that is because she has always done what is right…"
Bindu said, "but anyway, that doesn't mean she is similar to
JR…"
"Well, she too loves to have a Prime Minister who feels that
he is no more than a peon…" Percy observed.
"But
Satellite is always late and JR was always punctual…"
Bindu pointed out.
"But remember, JR gave in to Grandfather Thondaman's demands
and now Satellite is giving in to the grandson's demands even though
he began by saying his support was unconditional…"
"But thaaththa, JR never had leftists in his Cabinet…"
"But
Bindu," Percy said, "this Cabinet is probably more capitalist
than JR's because they are even selling the Petroleum Corporation…"
"But thaaththa, JR never allowed his Cabinet ministers to argue
in public…"
"Yes," Percy said, "but ultimately JR had the last
word and so has Satellite, no matter who says what and regardless
of how angry Wee Wee gets…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "there is still a very
important difference between the two…"
"And
what difference is that?" Percy wanted to know.
"JR, whatever his faults, knew that his time was up at the
end of two terms in office…"
Percy did not know what to say to that. |
