Of course Reader, you know which resignation this cat is referring to; a resignation which had to be extracted with as much force as one would have to exert to get water from a stone. Menika needs to correct herself. There was no resignation, however strong the pressure.
The President had to inform the said Minister that he was being relieved of his portfolios. That is a polite way to express what happened on Wednesday August 23; ‘relieved’ being a euphemism for the much more pithy and therefore meaningful terms ‘expelled’ and ‘asked to quit pronto’. It was so commendable on the part of the President to hearken unto the request of the UNP Cabinet members conveyed through the Prime Minister in the face of monks chanting pirith and wanting the said Minister retained with both portfolios intact.
Cattily, Menika adds, the resignation is beneficial to the country and its multitudes and was welcomed by most apolitical people. Maybe, the blue group which is composed of the JO and still retains the name of the original blue party though it formed a new party, or one of its forefront speakers did, was not for the resignation. The resigned Minister seemed to be their man in the enemy camp, useful to them. But, now that the resignation is a fait accompli, they must be glad since it’s one more to be welcomed to the JO. (This feline nearly said ‘one more crook’ but it seems apt to say ‘one more thief’ as the JO has 40 members including an ali baba in it and the word thief not too far removed from them, actually very close to many of them).
Which reminds this feline that the ex-leader of the party is trying to do a cat act – taking on more than one life. He was the Prez or Chairman of the Blue Party after shoving off a fair lady from that position.
Then he ruled as head of the Party and the country for 10 long years. He lost the presidency he contested unlawfully for the third term, by bending a couple of rules – easy for his muscular hand. Now, having lost the presidency of the country he naturally has to give up the leadership of the Party in power. But no.
He has of late been trumpeting the misinformation that he is the leader of the SLFP! Thus, to this imaginative cat it looks as if his ample back is being sidled up to the chair occupied by the Maithri One, who has the right and the might to occupy that seat. Furthermore, the law of the land bestows on him as leader of the country the leadership of his Party too. Thanks be!
Second idea in title
This feline as usual got carried away and took one path of writing, while the second one she should have taken was temporarily forgotten like in Robert Frost’s case. If you recollect, he was faced with a life-dilemma: two paths in the forest and he had to choose one. Well, Menika dealt with one idea in her title this week; namely The Resignation/Expulsion after being like a limpet clinging onto the double deckered chair of Ministership. Now, the beneficial part. Who will benefit from this resignation? The Yahapalana Government. One shady character less.
Also benefiting would be co-ministers and deputy minister and state ministers who shouted loud and clear for Wijeyedasa Rajapakshe’s resignation. Comes to mind Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, Ajit P Perera, Ranjan Ramanayake, Dr Harsha de Silva, Dr Senaratna et al. And what about you and the cat who writes this piece? Yes, we will benefit too while the Cabinet stables of those who govern us shalt be cleansed, at least of another tricky one.
We do not want depita kaattuwas and those who profess loyalty to one side and serve another on the sly. We also don’t want a person who said he did not know the Avant Garde high-up but was caught on camera cruising in a stretch limousine in LA Disneyfying and all that en famile with the family of that high-up.
Are some ex-VVIPs shivering in their chappals?
Now that free Sri Lanka has a new Minister of Justice will heads held high thus far roll towards Courts of Justice and into prisons? It isn’t meanness that prompts this feline to ask that question. This cat has not one little bristle of malice or bloodthirstiness in her. It is justice she respects and calls for.
OK. You could even say an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If you steal the country’s money, it must be returned and you pay for the act of stealing. If you take away a life, you must give yours. Here, an emphasis is needed. Your life, and not that of a stooge or menial who wielded the gun, the knife or the piercing rod that made its way into a clever man’s brain. The planner/instigator and the one who benefited from the murder must be the one to lose his head, or at least have to rest it at night on a hard prison pillow.
Shouted slogans
We had son Namal saying that every time the so called Yahapalana government was in trouble, caused by public protests for acting against the country or taking steps to destroy its economy and itself; or the anger of the weather gods causing drought in one part of the country and floods in another, and between the two a dengue epidemic, the leaders of the government brings up an accusation against those of the previous regime, particularly members of the R family.
The cry was taken up louder and more theatrically by Wimal Wee. He shouted fit to burst eardrums that whenever the Yahapalana government met with trouble, it shouted ‘Thajudeen’. Whenever the curse of the gods descended on the land due to the government, UNPers shouted ‘Thajudeen’.
When it wanted to oust a Minister, it shouted ‘Thajudeen’. This cat thought that was outrageously in bad taste; it was sacrilegious to drag in the name of one dead, nay murdered it seems, in a political spitting out. Let those killed lie in peace until justice be done.
Ominous saffron tide
Disappointment, nay shock at obvious politicking by the saffron robed ones, not just the ese mese robed ones who join in violent road protests but VIP ones joining the verbal fray in defence of the Minister of Buddha Sasana. Chant pirith, tie a wristful of nool, but not publicly indicating the support of the Sangha, believing themselves to now be a powerful force and lobby. Leave political decisions to the collective members of the government. Jolly good, the President and the Prime Minister did not bend to the message sent by some that they wanted W Rajapakshe to stay on in his Cabinet seat.
- Menika