In Defense of Douglas Devananda, Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the Special Task Force for the Rehabilitation and Development of the North.
by Dr.T.C.Rajaratnam
(December 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Having returned from hospital and resting in my humble abode across the ocean in the suburbs, I was disturbed by call from a friend who said that he had read the reply of one “S.Nadarajah” referring to my personal life and some allegations therein not relevant to the issues placed for discussion on the table. I browsed through the internet with curiosity and perused the article allegedly written by S.Nadarajah from London. I was not at all surprised. This was a typical under the table punch and stab behind the back which some of these Tamils who fled the shores of Sri Lanka for economic gain and to evade arrests are engaged in due to their frustration and animosity of living as underprivileged people overseas. When they get across overseas they must owe allegiance to their new country’s Constitution instead of daubing and commenting on matters on hearsay.
I cite the relevant paras for my right of reply - “Why did Rajaratnam not reply? These questions were deliberately put to him because he claimed that Devananda is a gentleman. He also mentioned that EPDP is alien to him which was a fact that he was distancing himself because he preferred not to commit himself or vouch for their credibility. Anyway, Dr.T.Rajaratnam will soon learn about Devananda if he has not learnt already.
”………. We all know who Dr.T.Rajaratnam is. He is a stooge of the Government and a servant of President Rajapakse. His former wife who lives in the US would testify that he is in the inner circle Group of President Rajapakse and is a die hard supporter of President Rajapakse.”( Sri Lanka Guardian , Dec.4,2008).
I still claim that Douglas Devananda is a good man. I say that of President Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremasinghe as well. But how could I make a sweeping statement to say that all SLFP’ers, UNP’ers and EPDP’ers are the same. It is just impossible for anyone to say that as all kinds of individuals, black sheep and exploiters exists in political parties around the world. It is the party discipline that can reduce such exploitation. It is in this respect that I mentioned that the EPDP is alien to me. As for A.Rajamanickam the Administrative Secretary of the EPDP, it is only by reading his reply that I learnt that he is the Administrative Secretary. I know him as a humble former Member of Parliament who looks like “Yesuthas” the famous south Indian singer. I have met Mr.Rajamanickam along the portals of Parliament. Mr.Rajamanickam is another man like Douglas Devananda. One look at his vehicle would be self explanatory. He lives in abject poverty by choice, the vehicle is corroded and is falling apart, portions of the doors are made intact with insulation tapes and multibond, seats are torn and the whole vehicle is in a dilapidated condition. This speaks for itself. Rajamanickam is a decent man – a very humble man. When I first met him, I thought he belongs to some religious group.
Thousands of families are supported by Douglas Devananda. I know this for myself, he has no personal properties. He owns nothing. His Parliament salary is given to the families of his cadres who have been killed. His sandles are worn out and he sleeps on a wooden bench. He is a very religious man contrary to public belief. He wears a Rs.100/- black plastic wristwatch just to see the time.His offices in Parliament as well as at the Ministry of Social Services is frequented by Hindu Priests of all Temples, Catholic and Christian clergy and Buddhist monks. I have seen several Muslim Priests as well. He has deprived himself of all luxuries in life. He lives a humbler life that most Priests and religious Leaders. He loves to give away all material things. More than anything else he is sympathetic and would even feed the man who abuses him. We in the Government can see that all the time. It is true that he was a militant but his life was changed by his foster mother- the mother role model- Maheswari Velautham although he referred to her as “acca”. Maheswari’s motherly advice has converted him more towards an ascetic. He eats very little and has only one meal a day. He leads a clean life. I have asked him why he lives like the way he does, his reply was that until his people have freedom and devolution of power he will continue to live like this so that he does not forget the agony of his people. He should not be judged by the security rendered to him. This is to protect him from people like Mr.Jayadevan et al.
Since it is difficult to assassinate him, there is a conspiracy to assassinate his character. It is trite learning that those who live on him and lived on him and having been fed by him and still being fed by him have been slandering him. But surprisingly, it does not perturb him.
I also wish to state that my personal life has no bearing on the matters discussed. However, I wish to reiterate that Mr.Nadarajah has exploited the situation as my former wife or wives would never speak a word against me and would never interfere with my personal, professional and political work. I have lived in various countries and there is no place like home-Sri Lanka. I do hope that Mr.Nadarajah will confine his arguments to matters of relevance. If Messrs. Nadarajah, Jayadevan et all have nothing else to do they can propose another marriage for me and some others as the marriage brokering field is lucrative. Let us take it in a lighter vein.
I have edited a book titled “Selected Essays and Tributes on Douglas Devananda” published by Sarvodaya Vishwa Lekha which consists of articles by me, His Excellency Dayan Jayatilake, Sarath Wijesinghe and M.K.P. Chandralal which is available at all leading bookshops.
Mr.Jayadevan et al (& Others) must refrain from petty comments and irresponsible statements when they are trying to graze on barren land in search of greener pastures.
I would cite Shakespeare to reflect Mr.Jayadevan et al:
"Hamlet: Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in the shape of a camel?
Polonius: by the mass, and’t is like a camel, indeed.
Hamlet: Methinks it is like a weasel.
Polonius: It is backed like a weasel.
Hamlet: Or like a whale?
Polonius: Very like a whale."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Act III, Scene II, Hamlet - Sri Lanka Guardian
by Dr.T.C.Rajaratnam
(December 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Having returned from hospital and resting in my humble abode across the ocean in the suburbs, I was disturbed by call from a friend who said that he had read the reply of one “S.Nadarajah” referring to my personal life and some allegations therein not relevant to the issues placed for discussion on the table. I browsed through the internet with curiosity and perused the article allegedly written by S.Nadarajah from London. I was not at all surprised. This was a typical under the table punch and stab behind the back which some of these Tamils who fled the shores of Sri Lanka for economic gain and to evade arrests are engaged in due to their frustration and animosity of living as underprivileged people overseas. When they get across overseas they must owe allegiance to their new country’s Constitution instead of daubing and commenting on matters on hearsay.
I cite the relevant paras for my right of reply - “Why did Rajaratnam not reply? These questions were deliberately put to him because he claimed that Devananda is a gentleman. He also mentioned that EPDP is alien to him which was a fact that he was distancing himself because he preferred not to commit himself or vouch for their credibility. Anyway, Dr.T.Rajaratnam will soon learn about Devananda if he has not learnt already.
”………. We all know who Dr.T.Rajaratnam is. He is a stooge of the Government and a servant of President Rajapakse. His former wife who lives in the US would testify that he is in the inner circle Group of President Rajapakse and is a die hard supporter of President Rajapakse.”( Sri Lanka Guardian , Dec.4,2008).
I still claim that Douglas Devananda is a good man. I say that of President Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremasinghe as well. But how could I make a sweeping statement to say that all SLFP’ers, UNP’ers and EPDP’ers are the same. It is just impossible for anyone to say that as all kinds of individuals, black sheep and exploiters exists in political parties around the world. It is the party discipline that can reduce such exploitation. It is in this respect that I mentioned that the EPDP is alien to me. As for A.Rajamanickam the Administrative Secretary of the EPDP, it is only by reading his reply that I learnt that he is the Administrative Secretary. I know him as a humble former Member of Parliament who looks like “Yesuthas” the famous south Indian singer. I have met Mr.Rajamanickam along the portals of Parliament. Mr.Rajamanickam is another man like Douglas Devananda. One look at his vehicle would be self explanatory. He lives in abject poverty by choice, the vehicle is corroded and is falling apart, portions of the doors are made intact with insulation tapes and multibond, seats are torn and the whole vehicle is in a dilapidated condition. This speaks for itself. Rajamanickam is a decent man – a very humble man. When I first met him, I thought he belongs to some religious group.
Thousands of families are supported by Douglas Devananda. I know this for myself, he has no personal properties. He owns nothing. His Parliament salary is given to the families of his cadres who have been killed. His sandles are worn out and he sleeps on a wooden bench. He is a very religious man contrary to public belief. He wears a Rs.100/- black plastic wristwatch just to see the time.His offices in Parliament as well as at the Ministry of Social Services is frequented by Hindu Priests of all Temples, Catholic and Christian clergy and Buddhist monks. I have seen several Muslim Priests as well. He has deprived himself of all luxuries in life. He lives a humbler life that most Priests and religious Leaders. He loves to give away all material things. More than anything else he is sympathetic and would even feed the man who abuses him. We in the Government can see that all the time. It is true that he was a militant but his life was changed by his foster mother- the mother role model- Maheswari Velautham although he referred to her as “acca”. Maheswari’s motherly advice has converted him more towards an ascetic. He eats very little and has only one meal a day. He leads a clean life. I have asked him why he lives like the way he does, his reply was that until his people have freedom and devolution of power he will continue to live like this so that he does not forget the agony of his people. He should not be judged by the security rendered to him. This is to protect him from people like Mr.Jayadevan et al.
Since it is difficult to assassinate him, there is a conspiracy to assassinate his character. It is trite learning that those who live on him and lived on him and having been fed by him and still being fed by him have been slandering him. But surprisingly, it does not perturb him.
I also wish to state that my personal life has no bearing on the matters discussed. However, I wish to reiterate that Mr.Nadarajah has exploited the situation as my former wife or wives would never speak a word against me and would never interfere with my personal, professional and political work. I have lived in various countries and there is no place like home-Sri Lanka. I do hope that Mr.Nadarajah will confine his arguments to matters of relevance. If Messrs. Nadarajah, Jayadevan et all have nothing else to do they can propose another marriage for me and some others as the marriage brokering field is lucrative. Let us take it in a lighter vein.
I have edited a book titled “Selected Essays and Tributes on Douglas Devananda” published by Sarvodaya Vishwa Lekha which consists of articles by me, His Excellency Dayan Jayatilake, Sarath Wijesinghe and M.K.P. Chandralal which is available at all leading bookshops.
Mr.Jayadevan et al (& Others) must refrain from petty comments and irresponsible statements when they are trying to graze on barren land in search of greener pastures.
I would cite Shakespeare to reflect Mr.Jayadevan et al:
"Hamlet: Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in the shape of a camel?
Polonius: by the mass, and’t is like a camel, indeed.
Hamlet: Methinks it is like a weasel.
Polonius: It is backed like a weasel.
Hamlet: Or like a whale?
Polonius: Very like a whale."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Act III, Scene II, Hamlet - Sri Lanka Guardian
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