Handapangala is in the news again. There seems to be some confusion now about a matter which I thought had been already decided upon. A couple of years ago, I believe, a decision was made to declare a corridor between the Handapangala tank, its precincts and Yala block V, thus enabling a herd of about 130 elephants (including 11 tuskers) to move freely between Yala and Handapangala as was the practice over the centuries, thus exemplifying that man and animal can live in harmony.
With the allocation of about 35,000 acres for sugar plantation the free movement of these animals has been hampered, thus leading to constant conflicts between man and animals. While admitting that development must take place it should still be possible to plan strategies which would permit this harmonious relationship between man and beast to continue. It was just such a plan that was accepted by the Wild Life Department and with the advent of the PA government the new Minister himself set in motion work in this regard. Pelawatta sugar plantations voluntarily gave back 4,000 acres expressly for the creation of the corridor and indeed work had started on the erection of the electrified fences.
Having proceeded thus far, the departmental veterinarian has made a statement in the news papers that it is now intended to drive these hundred odd elephants in to Yala block IV and V and to restrain them from returning to this area. This is indeed strange, coming from the same veterinarian who had sometime ago categorically stated that elephant drives were a futile exercise and he was making particular reference to the Handapangala herd. Within a matter of two years there is a complete reversal in thinking. Surely there must be some compelling reason for this change in attitude. Is it the so called "high profile" drive in the presence of royalty that has brought about this change? (It's hard to believe that The Duke of Edinburgh will want to have anything to do with such a scheme.) Or are there other vested interests who are reluctant to part with their land? Does it mean that a veterinarian is now making policy decisions in the Department of Wildlife? Is there any advisory body that has suggested such a course of action? If this is so, can we know who the advisors are? It must also be noted that elephant drives of this magnitude will mean tremendous expenditure on the part of the department and it would be very difficult to keep tabs on disbursements as not only departmental employees will be involved. One has to be wary about the misuse of funds in a project of this nature. The ultimate beneficiaries of this exercise may not be the elephants or villagers but may well be a privileged few who line their pockets.
Who will take responsibility for any deaths or injuries to humans and animals, as well as damage to property?
As the proposed drive is to take place very shortly, I am appealing to the powers that be to revoke the decision for the drive, which would eventually lead to the extermination of the greater part of this herd which must be considered a national resource, as all those who have seen the Handapangala herd in all its glory will agree.
India has a population of more than 950 millions, made up of 85 per cent Hindus, 11 per cent Muslims, two per cent Christians and one per cent other faiths. Sixty-five per cent of the population are Hindi speaking while 35 per cent speak other tongues. Unlike Pakistan and Sri Lanka, India is a secular state. When India was partitioned in 1947, Muslims called their new state Pakistan. Hindus suggested that India be renamed Hindustan; but Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, a statesman to the core, argued that India belonged not only to the Hindus but also to the Muslims, Christians and followers of other faiths. Unlike the National Flags of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where the parts that represent the minorities are outside the Flag proper, the Indian National Flag, irrespective of the size of the population, has three horizontal colours of equal dimensions for Hindus, Muslims and Christians with the Asoka Chakkra in the centre. Majority ego is not depicted in the flag as is in the flags of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Hindi, the language spoken by 65 per cent of the inhabitants is not going to be the official language of India until all non-Hindi speaking groups agree to making it so.
When India was granted Poorna Swaraj, the British Viceroy was recalled and his place was filled by C. Rajagopalachariya (a Tamil) as Governor General of India. In the first Cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru, Sri Shanmugam Chetty (a Tamil) was given the Portfolio for Finance. In the next Cabinet, Krishnamachari (a Tamil) was assigned the Portfolio for Finance. A few decades later C. Subramaniam held that Portfolio. Some years later, C. Subramaniam was given the Portfolio of Deputy Minister for Defence. Pranap Mukerjee (a Bengali), Mann Mohan Singh (a Punjabi) and other non-Hindi speaking gentlemen also held the Portfolio for Finance.
Rajendra Prasad from the Hindi Belt succeeded C. Rajagopalachariya as the first President of India. Sarvapali Radhakrishnan, V.V. Giri, Sanjeevi Reddy, all from Andhra Pradesh, were Presidents of India. Gial Singh of Punjab and two Muslims were Presidents of India. The last President of India was R. Venkataraman (a Tamil). The present Vice President of India is from Kerala. The last Prime Minister of India was P.V. Narasimha Rao from Andhra Pradesh.
At the hastings, B.J.P. secured the largest number of seats. Indian National Congress, the Rightist and the Leftist parties have vouched not to help the B.J.P. to form the government as the B.J.P. is anti-Muslim in character. In the B.J.P. Election manifesto, two of the pledges were (a) ban on the slaughter of cows and (b) no Indian shall have more than one wife at a time.
Sri Lanka should take a lesson from the generosity and statesmanship of the Hindi speaking majority National Front and Left Front Parties for unanimously electing H.D. Dave Gowda, a Southerner, as Prime Minister and four Tamils as Ministers, in a Cabinet of twelve, with P. Chidamparam as Minister of Finance.
It is unfortunate that in Sri Lanka, where Buddhism is state religion and where five-star democracy is supposed to prevail the two major political Parties thrive on their anti-Tamil tactics. It may not be incorrect to say that Sinhala bigotry is the cause of the gun culture in the country. One cannot expect peace and communal harmony in Sri Lanka until and unless the major Political Parties, the Maha Sangha and the Buddhist Organisations accept the fact that every inch of Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. Two pre-requisites for that are (a) Sri Lanka must be declared a "Secular" state (b) a New National Flag acceptable to the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims should be designed so that every Sri Lankan can say, "this is my Flag".
Any state monopoly that is running at a loss should be privatized and sold to either local or foreign investors. The important point that must be borne in mind is that the public must not be held to ransom. The consumer must not be harmed or asked to pay more. Take "Gas" for instance. The Shell Organization, this monopolistic giant was shooed off our shores in the sixties with the nationalization of petroleum. They have come back with fanfare and trumpets and taken over our Gas Company. Within a week or two they raised the price of a cylinder of L.P. Gas from Rs. 250 to Rs. 275. What did the state do, and what did our ministers do? They played the part of a 'Silent Orchestra' - not a 'hum' - Even the Mulberry Dandies were silent. They had probably gone to feast on Strawberries, I presume.
I suggest that the Government must be very strict over privatization, and an important requirement should be that not one cent be increased, be it electricity, petroleum, telecommunication, butter, eggs, sugar or jam.
It is important that Sir Lanka should have an open economy as far as all external interests are concerned, but within, let us have a closed economy to safeguard the consumer. Let us, as in the sixties, have a rigid price control. Let the Commissioner or the Price Controller be a D.I.G., with a uniform, and a civil staff. The job of effective price control will thus be achieved. Be it privatization or nationalization the consumer must be 'Sacrosanct' always.
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