If Only Just Mother Had Two Other Sons Like Me

“ The current president Mahinda Rajapaksha in that respect has been more fortunate than Puran Appu so to speak.”

by Nacholibre

(November 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The name “Veera Puran Appu” needs no introduction to the patriotic people of this land expect may be for a few lost-in-time souls who would not care a dime as to where they came from or where they are going. However, to those who cherish the rich patriotic history of this land, he is nothing less than an enigma. Leading a patriotic rebellion against the British rule, Puran Appu died a brave Martyr’s death facing the rifle squad of the Queen’s army on the August 8, 1848.

He uttered his last words facing his white executioners and claimed, “If my mother had two other sons like me born to her, you white invading dogs would have been chased out of this land of ours for good”. Thus, when Puran Appu lead the rebellion against the whites occupying his motherland, he had to die without being able to see for himself the accomplishment of the task that he set out to finish and he no doubt was left ruing in his final moments for not having the benefit of a couple of more siblings as capable as he was in his company.

The purpose of this brief write up is neither to talk about the legendary heroics of Veera Puran Appu nor to compare personalities, but, nevertheless, at a time when Sri Lanka has been emerging victorious against what might be termed as perhaps the most ruthless, sophisticated terrorist insurgencies of modern times that our land has ever faced, his saga reminded me how true Puran Appu had been even in his last words facing death at the hands of the enemies of him and his land. It seems that Veera Puran Appu knew in his heart that, rather than just anybody, his own blood brothers, if he had had any, would have strengthened him to save his country from the invaders.

The current president Mahinda Rajapaksha in that respect has been more fortunate than Puran Appu so to speak. When Mahinda was appointed the Head of State by the majority vote of people who loved this country and who needed to see their country regain its lost pride from the marauding terrorist armies, he had the luxury that Puran Appu never had, i.e., having two able siblings whom he could always count on in the hour of need in his uphill task of saving the country from the enemy. The two brothers of Mahinda, namely Gothabhaya and Basil gave the two hundred percent that was needed by their elder sibling to go the whole way the majority people of this land wanted their President to go.

It is not necessary to delve into the past events that have proved how effective this sibling trio has been in taking on the enemy in their own respective spheres of engagement, but, if one stops and thinks about it all, it will become clear that the success of Mahinda Rajapaksha as a people’s President on the most important politico-military fronts has always been due greatly to the invaluable and unconditional support he has been fortunate to have at his disposal courtesy of his own brothers par excellence. The positive effects of this blood-relation has given the country and us, which had been plagued by terrorism for decades, a new ray of hope, pride and a sense of patriotism.

If Puran Appu was alive today, he would smile a smile of satisfaction and gratitude. The Rajapaksha Mother deserves that acknowledgement from all patriotic citizens of this land.- Sri Lanka Guardian