Modi's ignorance
Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has assured that no military support would be given to Sri Lanka in the event the BJP comes to power. Modi is only PM 'in waiting' and could be forgiven for not being familiar with stock Indian foreign policy with respect to Sri Lanka. He will learn by and by, perhaps, what the Delhi line on Sri Lanka really is: 'No support whatsoever to Sri Lanka', i.e. the unfriendly and non-cooperative policy is not limited to things military but encompasses all spheres.
Tamil Nadu joy
The Indian Supreme Court's decision to commute the
death sentence of three assassins of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi
to life imprisonment has sparked off wild celebrations in Tamil Nadu. It would
seem at first glance that Tamil Nadu has a forgive-forget genetic strain; after
all the victim was the Head of State. Was it because the murders are
fraternal Tamils? It's hard to say. Now just across the Palk
Straits, the Sri Lankan Government set free more than 11,000 members of that
brutal organization. It was not a death to life-sentence commuting.
It was, if the US Guidebook on Terrorist Suspects was used as model, a
magnanimous decision to change 'life sentence' to 'full freedom'. No
cheers from Tamil Nadu applauding the Sri Lankan Government. Why not?
Will Duminda ever forget Wanathamulla?
The I-can't-remember ruling party 'strong' man Duminda Silva was taught
a lesson about a week ago. When he decided to check out the tense
situation in Wanathamulla following the disappearance of a resident opposed to
certain moves by the Urban Development Ministry, 'Muscleman Dumi' was greeted
to boos and shouts of 'kudu kaaraya' (drug addict/peddler) with a few water
bottles tossed in his direction to boot. It looks that Dumi can get away
with murder in most places but not in Wanathamulla. Few feel sorry for
Dumi but many are cheering the residents of Wanathamulla. It is unlikely
that Duminda will forget being forced to beat a hasty retreat in the face of
community anger.
Gammanpila's 100 buck scheme can be bucked
JHU's Udaya Gammanpila, who is also the ruling coalition’s leader for
the Colombo District in the forthcoming PC elections has asked supporters to
contribute Rs. 100 each towards the campaign. It is strange that no one
has thought of undercutting the politician in these times of savage competition
and price wars. Someone can say 'Udaya is asking for a lot but I on the
other hand, request just 50 bucks'. Someone else can say '20 and no
more'. It can get very creative too. Someone can say 'Give me 50,
I'll give Bahu 30' and someone else in a Sakvithi frame of
mind could say, 'give me 40 and I'll give you 120 in six months’ time'.
An Opposition called Wanatha
The residents of
Wanathamulla did what the UNP is too lazy to do and the JVP too wounded by
in-fighting to do. They were, for a while, THE OPPOSITION. They
neither waved green nor red, and yet, they did capture the attention of the
general public and won some applause too. The UNP has not cottoned
on, but the in-reduced-circumstances JVP is reported to be scouting the area
for potential supporters.
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