“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is all this fuss about Aacharya Mervyn again?”
“Well, Bindu,” Bindu’s father Percy said, “it looks as if all the fuss about him was not really necessary...”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “people were complaining that he was up to all kinds of mischief and that nothing was being done about it...”
“Why did they say that?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy remembered, “it appeared as if Aacharya Mervyn was not going to be punished, no matter what he did, because nothing happened even after he once stormed into the office of a television station and assaulted someone there...”“No thaaththa,” Bindu disagreed, “something did happen after that...”
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“What was that?” Percy was puzzled.
“Why, he became a television star...” Bindu pointed out.
“Ah, yes,” Percy said, “they did show the entire incident live on television, including the scene where he got splashed with red paint...”
“No, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I am not referring to that...”
“What are you talking about, then?” Percy asked.
“Why, he is now playing the judge in a television reality programme and many say that is partly why he won the recent election with so many preference votes, despite his rowdy behaviour...” Bindu explained.
“I am not so sure about that,” Percy said, “but I don’t think they should be complaining about his behaviour any more...”
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu inquired, “Has he said that he will not be engaging in that kind of behaviour anymore?”
“Of course not,” Percy said, “but he has been removed from his ministerial post and also from his post of being an organizer for his party...”
“So everyone is happy that justice has been done at last...” Bindu said.
“Yes, Bindu,” Percy said, “that is the general feeling...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “that is not quite correct, is it?”
“Why do you say that, Bindu?” Percy was surprised.
“Surely, thaaththa,” Bindu observed, “Aacharya Mervyn must have been removed from his ministerial post and from his post of being an organizer for his party because of the latest incident where he tied a government official to a tree as a punishment...”
“Yes,” Percy said, “that is what happened...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “we shouldn’t be happy with just that...”
“And why do you say that?” Percy wondered.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “those punishments only affect Aacharya Mervyn’s political career...”
“But isn’t that what most people who are demanding justice, want?” Percy asked, “don’t they want to see him finished politically?”
“That may be so,” Bindu declared, “but if justice is to be really done, shouldn’t Aacharya Mervyn be arrested and charged in the courts of law for what he did and then punished, if he is found guilty after a fair trial?”
“I suppose you could say that,” Percy conceded, “but isn’t this a step in that direction?”
“We can say so only if Aacharya Mervyn is charged in court for what he did, thaaththa...” Bindu persisted.
“Why do you say that, Bindu?” Percy asked.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “in other instances, aren’t they fond of saying that the law doesn’t respect personalities and that everyone must face the consequences of what they are alleged to have done?”
“Now, when did they say that?” Percy wondered.
“Why thaaththa,” Bindu recalled, “isn’t that what they said when they went about charging the General with a half dozen offences?”
“Yes, that is true,” Percy conceded.
“And now he has been found guilty of one of those offences,” Bindu said, “and they have recommended that he be stripped of all his decorations and rank and be discharged from the Army...”
“That is what I heard,” Percy recalled.
“And people are asking whether it is correct to treat the person who was partly responsible for winning the war in that manner...” Bindu declared.
“But, Bindu,” Percy said, “you yourself were saying that the law should not respect persons and that they should be punished if they have done something wrong...”
“That is true, thaaththa,” Bindu countered.
“And,” Percy pointed out, “it is still quite possible that Aacharya Mervyn too would be charged in a court of law for the offences that he is alleged to have committed...”
“Let us hope that day dawns...” Bindu said, “but still, I wouldn’t say that justice has been done...”
“And why is that, Bindu?” Percy was puzzled.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “if the General can be charged for what he is alleged to have done despite winning the war for us, then surely KP should also be tried for what he is alleged to have done in trying to continue that same war...”“I am not so sure whether that will happen, Bindu,” Percy said, “but there is an easy way to at least get the charges against the General dropped and for him to be restored to his former glory...”
“And what is that?” Bindu was curious.
“He should agree to take over the party organizer post that has fallen vacant because they sacked Aacharya Mervyn...” Percy suggested.
In fact, that could do the trick, Bindu realized. |
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