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| Sunday, 21 November 2004 |
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"Bogollata biyagullo" : The beat of the green elephant blues Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake The five-piece combo hired for the occasion by the Green Elephant was playing the "Baby Elephant Walk" with a quickened tempo when the members began to trickle in after the Budget proposals were announced. The rhythm was too upbeat for the mood of those who came in and the combo was asked to play some genuine blues the slow, sad music in which the singing is about the difficulties of life or bad luck in love. It was the Prof. Verbal Alipaachana also known as Verbose Double-tongue who had presented many a budget when he was with the earlier chair people, who spoke first. "I always had my doubts about that Bogolla. You will recall that he was always interfering in my work, which included quotas for the garment industry. My suspicions have now been proved". "How can you level any accusations at him when you too did a long jump on to this side not so long ago?" asked Navin Alipetiya. "But that was to save the nation. This is different. He has crossed over for his own gain," said Alipaachana. "In that case why did you not contest the election in 2001 just after your cross-over. Was it because you preferred the safety of being a national list MP, instead of explaining to the people that your long jump was done in the national interest," asked Sajith Alipencha from Ruhuna, who had been warned against criticizing the Green Elephant leadership in public. "Don't you think what Bogolla did has proven me to be right?" Prof. Alipaachana fell silent on that one. Gamini Aligedera, who leads the Green Elephant Storm Troopers a. k. a. the Jaraaava Sevaka Sangamaya or JSS spoke next. "There is no point in wasting time in talking about Bogolla, and making a Goni Billa of him. May be there are others too who think like him, even among us here. It's time that Ranil Ali Raala who shows increased signs of political drowsiness opened his eyes to what is happening around him. He seems to be thinking that power will fall on to his lap from the heavens, with no effort on his part." "But what can we do to stop this march of the Bulath Balavegaya," asked Gamini Ethaagala, a senior in the elephant pack who has also been showing signs of concern about the strategy of the Ali Raala. He was particularly worried about the Ali Raala promoting one of his favourites, Akila Aliyawasam to lead the pack at Wayamba, where Ethaagala had always swung his trunk freely and to good effect. Ravi Alikeliya a.k.a Sathosa Gajavancha was quick to respond. "We have to mobilise the ranks of Gamini Aligedera's JSS go into action. We can't let Sarath Bulathamuna get away so easily. We must organise the people and bring them to the streets against this budget. This is the time for action. I have already started contacting my catchers in the private sector for the funding we may need. It could lead to many millions," he said with a glint of profit in his eye. "But how can we do that when the media that usually supports us has already said this is a people friendly budget?" asked Karu Hasthisuriya, the deputy to Ranil Ali Raala, who has also done some subdued trumpeting about the good policies of Bulath Balavegaya and its leadership. "Don't worry about the media. They will be blowing our trumpet again, very soon, said Ravi Alikeliya. "We must begin trumpeting immediately about broken promises, especially the increase public sector salaries by 70 per cent. I have a hunch that we may be able to get the support of the Rathu Kamisa brigades of the Bulath Balavegaya in support of this. Is there anyone here who can establish close contact with Raktha Lal Kantha?" he asked. "Don't talk nonsense. The Rathu Kamisa brigade in the Bulath Balavegaya has got most of what they have asked for. The rural sector has been looked after very well. We must realise that not even the public servants believed they would get the seventy per cent pay hike. That was always pie in the sky. But it appears they have got even more when you add up the package of benefits to public servants including low interest housing loans, medical insurance and such things. We have to think of a better more credible package we can offer the country if we are serious about stopping the march of the Bulath Balavegaya" said Navin Alipetiya. Dayasiri Alivanguva, the former private secretary to Prof. Alipaachana, who also seems to have caught the same verbal paachana when appearing on TV, asked, "Why not target the women? After all the cost of living won't go down with this so-called people-friendly budget." "Don't think this is a TV debate where you can score some weak points" said Sajith Alipencha. "Sarath Bulathamuna has not forgotten the women. Working women can now get one year's maternity leave. Do you think we can get our Rosy Gajahamine to lead a campaign against that? The main thing is to be realistic in what we do and say." "What do you mean realistic?" asked Ravi Alikeliya. "Don't you think we can bring the people to the streets against this budget?" "We have been tiring our trunks with these hollow noises about bringing people to the streets. What I mean by being realistic is to be able to read the results of April 2001 and the Provincial Council elections, even now. We can't get the people to do a U-turn towards our side while our Ali Raala says he will not make false promises. A good political animal must realise that people live on promises, as part of their daily diet, even if they are not fulfilled. We must be able to create an image of strong determined leadership. That is the biggest problem we have," said Sajith Alipencha with a note of conviction. "You had better stop saying such things, because you may be hauled up for a disciplinary inquiry again," said Gamini Aligedera. "The problem is not in his being summoned for a disciplinary inquiry, but whether our leaders have their ears to the ground. If not they will never hear the rumblings of others who may also follow the example of Bogolla," said Navin Alipetiya. "If that is not done, and our leaders remain in some Colombo seven dreamland, they will find that Bogolla has made biyagullas of us all." |
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