5th Column

My dear Ranjan,

It would be a lapse on my part if I didn’t write to you this week. You must be a relieved and happy man as you celebrate your first few days of freedom after spending 19 months behind bars, while men who committed greater crimes not only roam free but also occupy seats of power.

Honestly, Ranjan, we were in doubt whether you would indeed be released on Friday. That is because we had been told so many times that your release was imminent, just like we have been told that a new Cabinet would be sworn in soon. At least, you were released before the Cabinet was appointed!

However, we were told that your release has been subject to certain conditions. It is still unclear whether you have your civic rights or not. They also say that you cannot make certain statements. Are they setting you free physically but still imprisoning you emotionally? If so, are you really free?

You are, of course, not the first politician in recent times to be imprisoned for offending the halls of justice. We remember how SB was jailed for saying something quite similar to what you said almost 20 years ago. Sarath ensured that he enjoyed the hospitality of the State for abut 15 months.

If memory serves me right, SB spent most of that time in the Merchants Ward at the General Hospital, so he could avoid the less salubrious surroundings of Welikada until Mahinda maama pardoned him. You however, chose not to feign illness but to do time for your ‘crime’. We admire you for that, Ranjan.

Then there was Galagoda Aththe hamuduruwo who was jailed for the same offence, but he did in fact walk into a court room and shout at a judge. He was not a politician, but you could say he did something politicians frequently do: raise communal issues and spread hatred to his advantage.

The hamuduruwo was pardoned by Aiyo Sirisena, one in a long list of undesirable acts that he did. What is interesting though is that the insults of both SB and the hamuduruwo were far worse than what you said, but they got off with ‘full’ pardons while you didn’t.

Right now, the offence you committed is considered to be so harsh by the powers that be that it is not clear whether you can return to politics or even re-enter Parliament. This is the same Parliament where people who were once convicted of murder were allowed to attend – pending their appeal!

Now is also a good time to test whether the wheels of justice turn at the same speed and in equal measure for everyone. Why we say so is because that ‘pohottuwa’ chap from Puttlam has said that magistrates should be responsible for the lawlessness in the country because they ‘release criminals’.

If what you said sent you to jail for four years, that statement too should have similar consequences but we are not so sure about that. All we can say for now is that Puttlam is famous for a particular type of animal – and now it appears to be famous for a similar kind of political animal too.

You can be certain, Ranjan, that there will be people who will try to capitalise on your new-found freedom and your long-lasting popularity. These maybe people who helped you over the past 17 months when you were in prison, but you must beware their true intentions.

For instance, Manusha tried to be a hero on Friday, attempting to portray himself as the person who mediated your release – until he was chased away by a jeering public. Now he is offering you the role of an ambassador for migrant workers but is that to buy your silence and keep you out of the country?

Remember Harin? To be fair, he did fight for you and plead your case strongly when Gota maama was still the boss. This is the chap who said he will wear a black ‘saatakaya’ in Parliament until you were freed. He also promised to resign his National List seat to make way for you if you are released. Now is the time to test whether he is indeed the honourable man he claims to be. All he needs to do is to resign his seat. Then the ‘Sajabey’ can nominate you to Parliament. Can he do that, though?

It is not that we agree with everything you did, Ranjan. For instance, recording telephone calls made to other people without their knowledge was an appalling act and ruined the lives of many – and brought you a lot of trouble too. That cannot be excused, and I hope you regret that at least now.

Still, we feel people like you are needed in Paradise. That is because you are one of the few who have been in politics for some time but haven’t become a millionaire overnight. You also speak the truth, no matter what the consequences are. So, we are waiting to see what you do next and wish you well.

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: This ‘condition’ imposed on you that you shouldn’t speak ill of some people reminds me of a story. In Parliament the Speaker told an MP to withdraw his remark that ‘Half of all MPs are idiots’. The MP corrected himself and said, ‘Half of all MPs are not idiots’. How about that, Ranjan?