That
Karuna affair is getting queer by the day
"Satellite, Satellite, where have you been, I've been to London
to visit the Queen…" Bindu Udagedera was saying to himself.
"Why, Bindu, why are you reciting nursery rhymes?" his
father Percy asked.
"Why, thaaththa, hasn't Satellite gone to London?" Bindu
wanted to know.
"But, I believe it was a private visit…" Percy said.
"But, thaaththa, wasn't Satellite in fact out of the country
when they broadcast her address to the nation?"
"If
Satellite was on a private visit, there is no need to broadcast
that fact, Bindu…" Percy argued.
"But, thaaththa," Bindu protested, "they led everyone
to believe that she was in the country when the address to the nation
was broadcast…"
"Yes, but I don't think we should be too concerned about what
our leaders do with their private lives …"
"Is
that why we have the private lives of some politicians described
in television interviews, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Well, people should be worried about their private lives only
if there is something to hide, Bindu…" Percy advised.
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?"
"Or else, people holding public office will get away with anything
saying it is a private matter…"
"Who
would say that?" Bindu asked.
"For instance, the MP who brought Karuna to Colombo could say
that Karuna was a 'private friend'…"
"But thaaththa, isn't that also a rather curious story?"
"Why is that?"
"It is curious because they are blaming the Green Man for trying
to strike a deal with Karuna, even though the Green Man says he
knows nothing about it…"
"The
Green Man knows nothing about a lot that goes on around him…"
Percy observed.
"But thaaththa," Bindu persisted, "they also say
that Karuna was provided with protection by the armed forces when
he was brought to Colombo by that MP…"
"So, what are you suggesting?" Percy queried.
"That implies that the Green Man was in control of the armed
forces even though Satellite is not only the Commander-in-Chief
but also the Minister of Defence…"
"Which
means that Satellite too does not know a lot about what goes on
around her…"
"But she certainly knows a thing or two about trying to get
enough MPs to obtain a majority in the House…" Bindu
said.
"Ah, that shouldn't be too difficult…"
"Why do you say that?" Bindu wanted to know, "are
they tempting Arumugam again?"
"No,"
Percy said, "but I do think there are many Greens who would
be tempted with much less than what Arumugam is demanding…"
"Is that what Satellite is doing in London, then?"
"No, I don't think so," Percy said, "I think she
was trying to meet the Prime Minister there…"
"Why,
didn't she succeed?" Bindu asked.
"Apparently not," Percy said, "he was too busy, they
had said…"
"He certainly wouldn't have wanted to be kept waiting for two
hours for Satellite to make her appearance…" Bindu said.
"Whatever her faults, they shouldn't be insulting our Head
of State," Percy said, "who knows, they might now want
to fingerprint her when she wants to go there…"
"But
how would he know that she is usually late, thaaththa?" Bindu
asked.
"Why, Princess Anne would have told him; she was kept waiting
for two hours when she visited Satellite…" Percy said.
Bindu began singing his nursery rhyme again: "Satellite, Satellite,
where have you been? I've been to London to visit the Queen; Satellite,
Satellite, what did you do there? I got snubbed by Tony Blair…" |
