5th Column

An 'adults only' drama came on stage last Thursday
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what was all that fuss about a Speaker?"
"The fuss is over now, Bindu…" Bindu's father Percy said.
"But thaaththa, the government lost the vote…"

"I suppose they will now say it was not a free and fair election…"
"Then maybe they should now invite international observers for future elections in Parliament…" Bindu suggested.

"And maybe ban all campaigning forty eight hours before the election, just like they do at other elections…"
"And most importantly, they should impose a curfew after the election stating that MPs should not leave their seats, in order to prevent post-election violence…"

"But one precaution they should not take is to mark the fingers of MPs with that special ink…" Percy said.
"Why is that, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Why, Bindu, if they did that last Thursday, all our
MPs would have had three of their fingers marked and if this trend continues they may not have enough fingers available…"

"But thaaththa," Bindu observed, "despite all the problems this election was a very entertaining one…"
"It certainly was more entertaining than the one-sided one-day cricket match they were showing on the other television channel…" Percy agreed.
"Maybe they should have shown the Speaker's election live on television instead…"

"But it may well be that they didn't do so for a very good reason…" Percy said.
"And why is that?"
"Why, it would have to be an 'adults only' show considering the language and the behaviour that was on display…"
"But it certainly contained a few exciting performances, thaaththa," Bindu said.
"Why do you say that?"

"Why thaaththa, the way in which the blue and red MPs behaved after they lost the election, insulting the monks and accusing them of working with terrorists…"
"I think that is the very reason they lost…" Percy said.
"Why is that, thaaththa?"

"Why, Bindu, the Blues and Reds miscalculated in trying to get the support of only two monks and they have now made it worse by insulting the monks after the election…"
"So, what will happen now?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Well, Satellite will have to learn to work with a Speaker who is not entirely on her side…" Percy said.

"But do you think Wi Ja Moo will take sides?" Bindu queried, "after all, a Speaker is supposed to be impartial…"
"I am not so sure about that," Percy said, "but he may introduce other changes to our parliament…"

"What are those, thaaththa?"
"Why, he might order all MPs to drink 'kola kenda' like he did when he was a Minister some time ago …"
"And he might address MPs with 'ayubowan' instead of 'honourable member'…" Bindu said.

"I don't think that is inappropriate, after watching some of Thursday's proceedings…" Percy observed.
"But thaaththa, will the speaker being from the other side really matter that much?" Bindu asked, "because some people are already calling Wi Ja Moo 'Wipakshaya Jayagenime Mula'…"

"I can't be too sure about that," Percy said, "but I can give Wi Ja Moo some advice…" Percy said.
"And what is that?"

"Just like the Prime Minister not moving in to Temple Trees, he too should not move in to the Speaker's Mansion in Kotte…"
Bindu didn't want to dispute that.

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