5th Column

My dear Sabry,

I thought I must write to you this week because there was a lot of speculation that you were about to quit the Cabinet after Gnanasara haamuduruwo was appointed as the head of a task force that would make suggestions about this so-called ‘One Country, One Law’ which everyone is talking about.

We were told that you were upset and annoyed that Gota maama had made this appointment without even mentioning it to you. There was even a suggestion that you were only waiting for Gota maama’s return from Scotland to submit your resignation papers to him. None of that happened, though.

Sabry, if you felt that way, I won’t blame you. We all know what Galagoda Aththe haamuduruwo’s sentiments are about communities and religions other than his own. He has himself made that very clear in the loudest and crudest possible way that makes us even wonder why he wears saffron robes.

You, on the other hand, were Gota maama’s personal lawyer who got him out of several knotty legal problems before he ran for the top job. Why, there was ‘white flag’ issue, there was the ‘MiG deal’ and of course the whole issue about his American citizenship. You were his counsel then.

So, it came as no surprise when you were the only person with no previous political experience at all who was parachuted into Parliament by Gota maama on the National List. Of course, the only other person in that Cabinet with no previous political experience at all was Gota maama himself!

You were also given the plum portfolio of Justice. I am sure that the Emeritus Professor of Law would have dearly loved to have your job, so he could tell all of us about the legal issues of the day in his long winded sentences which no one understands. Still, Gota maama gave that job to you.

Therefore, I can now understand your disappointment when someone else, a person who wears saffron robes and calls himself ‘haamuduruwo’ while preaching intolerance of other communities- and particularly your community – is given the task of creating this ‘One Country, One Law’ concept.

So, even though we haven’t agreed with everything you said and did since you became a minister, we completely understood your anguish about this decision. We also expected you to do the honourable thing and resign because we thought you were also a man who had the courage of your convictions.

Had you done so, it would have restored a semblance of confidence among the public that at least some people, especially the so-called handful of ‘educated’ and ‘professional’ people among politicians value their dignity and self-respect more than the glory of being a cabinet minister.

Now though, we have heard that you won’t resign. We have heard that you and Gota maama have had a discussion since he returned to the country and he has said he will not accept your resignation. Some are asking whether we are in such a state that now, we don’t even have the freedom to resign!

We are also told that some minor changes have been made to the gazette that appointed Gnanasara haamuduruwo. For instance, several members from a community that was previously not represented in the ‘Task Force’ have been included – even though the haamuduruwo said that was not necessary.

It has also been suggested that any recommendations this Task Force makes be referred back to you. I am not sure who is trying to fool whom here, Sabry, but I think we all realise that when Gnanasara haamuduruwo is being given a platform to make his views known, he is sure to exploit that to the hilt.

You will also agree that these minor details don’t mean much to the general public. All they will see is that Gnanasara haamuduruwo has been appointed to a crucial position against your wishes and that you couldn’t do anything about it – you couldn’t even resign in protest, or you chose not to do so.

If you can’t make much sense of all this right now, Sabry, I’m sure you will be able to do so in time to come. Don’t forget that the majority of voters in this country will rally around anyone who says he is going to save the ‘rata, jaathiya’ or ‘country and race’ and this will again be the slogan in 2024.

Gnanasara haamuduruwo’s appointment is the first step in that direction. You can be certain that he will be a strong voice championing the cause of the majority community at the next election and our voters might take the bait, just as they did two years ago, after the deadly Easter attacks.

For now though, Sabry, your job is to say ‘Yes, Sir’ to whatever ‘Sir’ proposes, and hold the fort for three more years. You might even keep your job after the next election because, although Gota maama is not high in the popularity stakes right now, young Sajith appears to be even less popular!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: Maybe we should have known all along that you won’t resign. After all, if you were a man of principle, you would have resigned when Lohan was not punished for what he did recently in two prisons. So, all this speculation about your resigning is like Basil maama’s budget; all talk, no action!