By

Don Manu

Once again in a considerable display of the contempt with which they hold the masses’ intelligence, both the radical JVP peddling its Marxist prattle, and the Bodu Bala Sena hawking its counterfeit Buddhist ware, have deemed it fit to engage in their tried and tested, fluently employed double speak to con the people into believing that they alone are the sole guardians of the nation’s morals and her sovereign laws; and what they profess to say is what they will actually do.

Consider how, as self-acclaimed possessors of high principles and cherished values, their individual duplicity has made these two diametrically opposed parties unite as strange bedfellows conjugating in a room denied light.

Take the JVP first. On November 24, the JVP triumvirate comprising political leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, propaganda chief Vijitha Herath and political bureau boss Lal Kantha held a media conference at their ‘Kremlin’ headquarters at Pelawatte. Addressing the gathering Dissanayake said that there are some main problems that beset the nation today. They are, he said

– People have been denied democracy and freedom;
– the economy is mishandled;
– masses do not get equal opportunities;
there is disunity and suspicion among different communities and religious groups;
– fraud and corruption have increased;
– the country has to struggle for good governance and
– the country has been isolated internationally

He said a broad social transformation was necessary to take our country and the people away from these crises. He declared that it was the JVP’s singular aim to build the broadest mediation to topple the Rajapaksa regime. But no, whilst they would campaign to defeat this government, they would not support the UNP-led joint opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Funny isn’t it? Though they claim their hearts bleed for the masses and their crying wish is to put an end to the rotten state of Lanka, they stop short of giving the driver a helpful push forward when the vehicle of change is geared and ready to roll. But in their bid to oust the Government, wouldn’t they be helping Maithripala to have his joyride to victory, anyway? Isn’t that the likely destination their campaign to topple the Government, will lead Maithripala to? So why the pedantic drawing of lines?

Now take the Bodu Bala. Stepping out of the Fort Magistrate’s Court on Monday, after a charge of threatening behavior against a lawyer on court premises was withdrawn by the complainant lawyer on the grounds that hatred does not cease by hatred, the Chief of the Bodu Bala Sena Galagoda-atte Gnanasara Thera addresses the media and states that he never said that the Bodu Bala supported the President.Referring to the foreign conspiracy theory that had been paraded again by Wimal Weerawansa who conveniently uses it to explain away every adverse occurrence, the monk said that it is the intention of the Bodu Bala to defeat this conspiracy of foreign powers to overthrow the government, at all costs. “We will carry out a campaign to make people aware of this dangerous situation,” he declared. But no support to President Rajapaksa.

Later at a media briefing to further deny that the BBS supported the President, he stated, “for the Bodu Bala to take such a decision to defeat this foreign conspiracy against Lanka there has been only one reason. We have been guided by only one motive and that is national security. We do this unconditionally. We dedicate ourselves to this task on behalf of the nation.”

In other words what Gnanasara is stating is that while he never said that the BBS would support the president, he won’t allow foreign nations to upset the status quo. But isn’t that the likely destination their campaign to defeat the supposed foreign conspiracy to topple the Government, will lead Mahinda Rajapaksa to? So why the pedantic drawing of lines?

So there you have it. The JVP saying it will campaign to defeat the Rajapaksa regime but will not support Maithri. And the Bodu Bala saying it will unconditionally extend support to the Government to defeat a foreign conspiracy and maintain the status quo on the grounds of national security but will not support President Rajapaksa to win the election.

Is it due to some sort of incorrigible weakness on the part of these two parties that prevent them from telling the people where they actually stand without attempting to disguise their actual positions in so ludicrous a manner? What does it achieve?

Or have they themselves come to realise that the image of the man they secretly wish to win would be irreparably damaged if they declared open support; and that therefore a red herring cause must be ostensibly advocated to achieve victory for the candidate of their choice?
Meanwhile, the two candidates must be heaving sighs of relief that these two radical parties on the loony fringe have kept a comfortable arms distance from being associated with them. Maithripala must know that the meager five per cent or less the JVP says it has within its power to muster will not necessarily bring him victory even as Mahinda Rajapaksa must undoubtedly be aware that the Bodu Bala vote bank contains no more than a handful and will not bring him the triumph he desires.

Their support will not tilt the victory balance but, on the contrary, even as a man is oft judged by the company he keeps, any stamp of approval forthcoming from these two groupings, one a Marxist band with blood on their hands, the other a rabid renegade brigand of religious fanatics, may spell the kiss of death and might even bring possible defeat.

Courtesy: Sunday Times