5th Column

My dear Anura sahodaraya,

I thought of writing to you, first to wish you ‘suba aluth avuruddak weva’ and also to let you know of a few issues that have been bothering us in recent months. You had to deal with cyclones and coal tenders in the year that just ended. So, we know you must be hoping for a better year ahead.

Anura sahodaraya, we didn’t see you during the Sinhala and Hindu New Year last year. Your critics said you didn’t observe time-honoured customs like Mahinda maama did for the entire country to see in a televised broadcast. That was unfair. Even Uncle Ranil kept his New Year celebrations private.

This year though, we did see you during the New Year. Of course we didn’t see you with your family. Instead, we saw you with a different family, as they entered their new home after their old one was destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah last year. We then saw you at the oil anointing ceremony as well.

I think the message you were trying to convey was that, despite coming from a leftist party you do honour our customs, while still keeping some New Year celebrations private. In fact, before Mahinda maama began this practice of broadcasting New Year celebrations, all our leaders celebrated privately.

It does seem as if Mahinda maama can’t get rid of this habit – or else, Namal baby thinks it is a good idea too. That is why we saw a ‘live telecast’ of the New Year celebrations from Medamulana this year as well, though it was not at state expense on Rupavahini but broadcast on a YouTube channel.

That said, this is a different day and age. So we see some politicians using social media to tell us how they spent the New Year with their families. Sajith and Champika both posted pictures with their daughters. Even the one who Speaks did the same. There was a motive in the latter, don’t you think?

Anyway, Anura sahodaraya, all this ‘Avurudu’ sentiment will die down next week. It will be back to business as usual. You will have to pick up from where you left off before the holidays and it won’t be easy. You must know what I am referring to: that infamous coal tender and the ‘Kumara’ question.

First, Kumara was indicted on charges related to a matter when he was an official many years ago. You said he can stay, as nothing was proven yet, and also because it related to his actions as an official, not as a minister. If it were a ministerial action you wouldn’t think twice about sacking him, you said.

To be frank, Anura sahodaraya, I think you lost a golden opportunity there. You could have used the indictment to ask him to resign. Anyone can make allegations against someone but it is not every day that Ranga and his commission indicts a minister in a court of law. That is a very unusual event.

By not sacking him then, you have allowed this to snowball into a major scandal. As a result, we had the vote of no confidence against Kumara. Of course, the vote was won. Why wouldn’t you, when you have a two-thirds majority? Remember, Keheliya won the vote against him too. Where is he today?

What you must realise, Anura, is that this not about whether Kumara is guilty or not. Whether you trust him is up to you. However, the new political culture you promised so passionately during your campaign requires you to ask him to step down from his portfolio until investigations are completed.

Remember, during Uncle Ranil’s time, when Keheliya’s actions were under scrutiny, he was moved from the Health Ministry to the Environment portfolio. You criticised even that then.

So, the scandal keeps building up, the latest being a leaked telephone call.

Do you remember the words, “With power comes responsibility and you should be aware of the limits of your powers and the responsibilities you have”? Those were your first words of advice to your Cabinet of Ministers after they were sworn in. Do you think those words have been honoured today?

Kumara has stepped down now. Apparently, the rationale behind this is you didn’t want to appear as if you are giving in to the opposition but wanted him to stay on, survive the vote and then resign? It is too late now. The damage is done.

That is why, Anura sahodaraya, I said that I hope this will be a better year for you as you return to work after the Avurudu break. If you can exercise better judgment and adhere to higher standards as you continue the task of leading us, the entire nation will wish you a ‘suba aluth avuruddak weva’!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: Anura sahodaraya, can we also remind you of the long overdue provincial council elections. Will they be held this New Year? Or, will you also blame Cyclone Ditwah and the war in West Asia and say, like Uncle Ranil famously said, “There is no election, even if there was, there is no money”?