"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this fuss about arresting MPs?"
"Why," Bindu's father Percy asked, "who wants to detain MPs now?"
"Why thaaththa," Bindu explained, "I think at least two MPs are wanted for questioning about some serious offences..."

"What offences are those?" Percy wanted to know.
"Well, one is wanted for questioning for his alleged involvement in the abduction of a child..." Bindu recalled.

"And the other?" Percy asked.
"I believe another is wanted for questioning because his vehicle has been allegedly used in the killing of a red party worker..." Bindu declared.
"Since both these offences are quite serious," Percy said, "I suppose the police will have to detain these MPs and question them..."

"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "that is exactly where the problem lies..."
"Why is that?" Percy demanded.
"The MPs haven't been questioned yet..." Bindu complained.
"And why not?" Percy wanted to know.
"Well," Bindu said, "they seem to have difficulty in finding these MPs..."
"Then these MPs must be very clever..." Percy observed.
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.

"Why, Bindu," Percy said, "we are supposed to have the armed forces and a police force capable of taking on and defeating the most ruthless terrorist group in the world, yet they are unable to find these two MPs..."
"That is true..." Bindu conceded, "but that maybe because they are busy looking for Prabhakaran now..."
"Yes," Percy agreed, "it is a safe bet that they will find these MPs only after they find Prabhakaran..."
"That is true..." Bindu said.
"Tell me," Percy said, "to which parties do these MPs belong?"
"The MP accused of being involved in the abduction of the child belongs to the big blue party which is in control now..." Bindu said.
"And the other?" Percy asked.

"The other MP whose vehicle which was allegedly involved in shooting the red party worker belongs to the smaller red party which now supports the big blue party after breaking away from the red party..." Bindu explained.
"Even if no one knows their whereabouts," Percy observed, "we can be certain of one thing..."
"And what is that, thaaththa?" Bindu queried.
"These two MPs will never cross over to the Opposition now..." Percy declared.
"How can you be so sure about that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked, "this is a time when everyone is crossing over from one side to the other..."
"But these two MPs will never do that..." Percy assured.
"Why is that, thaaththa?" Bindu was puzzled.

"Why, Bindu," Percy explained, "if they ever do that, they will be detained and charged immediately..."
"Is that how it works, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Well, it has certainly happened before..." Percy said.
"When was that?" Bindu was curious to find out.
"Why, Bindu," Percy pointed out, "take the two leading blue contenders for the most preferences in the western provincial council race, the fair fellow and the dark chap..."
"Well," Bindu asked, "what about them?"

"Both of them have been accused of serious offences and charged in court before..." Percy said.
"But that is not very unusual for politicians..." Bindu said, "Mervyn goes through that practically every day..."
"But, Bindu," Percy said, "that was when both of them were with the greens; the difference is, now they are with the blues..."
"Then, maybe we should change the slogan of the blue party ..." Bindu suggested.
"Why do you say that?" Percy asked.

"Why, thaaththa," Bindu proposed, "we could change it to the slogan previously used by the company which is now in deep trouble..."

"So, what slogan are you proposing for the blue party now?" Percy wanted to know.
"Big or small, we protect them all!" Bindu said.
Percy knew he couldn't argue with that.