| by A Special Correspondent
( December 19, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) This presidential election teaches us hundreds of lessons for Sri Lankans. It tells us who are the real patriotic and who are making money out of politics. It tells us who are ideological politicians and who are not? It tells us how minority political parties swing with waves of political influence of ruling elites. It has been more than three weeks to know Muslim congress’s stand on this election? To know if it supports Mahinda or Maithiri. It has been struggling to make up its mind. It has been calling its members for special meetings here and then. The party leader has been finding it hard to reconcile between wishes of people and its members: Many theories came up in recent times: It was reported that the majority of Muslim congress membership within hierarchy of the party want to support Maithiri realising that the entire country is behind him. More than 70% of people in the country today want to see a change in politics. Whether Sinhalese, Muslim or Tamil all communities want to free the country from the grip of one family domination and economic destruction. This is the political reality of this nation today. What more is that Muslim community wants to see a change in politics in Sri Lanka. They have had enough for the last three years. More 90% of Muslims will vote for Maithiri this time. No doubt about it. Muslim community has already made up its mind.
So called Muslim congress or any other Muslim party that supports Mahinda does not have any grass root support at all in Muslim community. Rauf Hakeem was almost beaten to his death in Aluthgama. Aftermath of racial attacks on Muslims in Aluthgama Hakeem team went to Aluthgama on fact finding mission. He was almost killed by Muslims over there. Had he been more time over there he would have been killed or had not security force been vigilant he would have been killed. I just alluded to this incident to point out that entire Muslim population lost confidence on the Muslim political leadership today. They have no faith at all on all these Muslim politicians today. Most of Muslim politicians are working as agents to MR and co family: Most of them live like slaves to MR or you could say they are doing political business with MR. In reality today MR and family is doing business in politics. MR and co family members became millionaires in the last five years out of politics. To protect their money and wealth they needed to have partners in that business: Today all those who are with MR and co are making huge amounts of money for that reason they are unable to leave MR. Rauf Hakeem, Richards Badurudeen, Karuna, Hezbollah or you name it all of them are with MR for two reasons: one to make money or protect their life. All these people are not doing politics out of patriotism or for national interest or communal interest. Most of them do not deserve to be legislators in our parliament, Most of them are cheaters or thieves in every sense.
Coming back to Muslim congress why does Muslim congress try to save sinking boat of MR. There are some theories about it. It is said that Hakeem’s file is with MR. If he goes with the interest of Muslim community and supports Maithiri he would end up in jail. It would be like what happened to FS or to some others. Although more than 90% Muslim community supports Maithiri Hakeem cannot come out openly to support Maithiri. It could be a political suicide for him. Here he is ready to sell out communal interest of his community for his personal interest. He would argue that Muslim congress had been a king maker in politics in the past and yet, today he seems a politically coward person. He knows well MR is not CKB OR Ranil. He knows well if goes against MR he would be severely punished by MR. It was reported that MR has shouted at him in a cabinet meeting just a few months ago. He was told off either stay with them or leave out. He should have resigned from his post and set down with opposite side on that day and yet, he has been with MR up to now fearing repercussion. This is one theory why Muslim congress has been undecided until now.
The second theory is that majority of Muslim congress members are indeed supporting Maithiri except a few support MR. To avoid the division of the party Muslim congress keeps silence on this matter until the last days of election. It is reported that Muslims are with Maithiri and yet, a few members of Muslim congress members are with MR. At the end of the day, Muslim congress will be with sinking boat of MR and yet Muslim people will overwhelmingly vote for Maithiri. I could cite a recent example for this. In Uva election Muslim congress got only 5000 votes and yet, a member from UNP got 15000 thousand votes. This means Muslim congress does not have grass root support. People know that Muslim congress MPs are doing business in politics. Today Muslim community is not ready to call these so called Muslim MPs are as Muslim leaders: Rauf Hakeem may be a Muslim congress Leader and yet he is not a Muslim community leader: Muslim people do not accept his leadership at all. He buried Muslim communal interest under the carpet. His contribution to national interest is also meagre and minimal. Yet, I do not know why People in Sri Lanka cannot make a differentiation between good and bad politicians. This time we should know the quality of decision making among Sri Lankan people. How long MR and co fool Sri Lankan people: Sri Lankan people are clever enough to make a good choice. They know who have been robbing coffers for the last 10 years and they know well who have been taking a huge commission out of all these mega projects.
The third theory is that Muslim congress is playing the wait and see game. They have been waiting to see if the majority of MPs from the ruling party changed the side to move with them. Still they are waiting see who is going to win this election and they would support whoever win. They want to change their colour and tunes as and when they want to do. They are really opportunistic and wait for a golden opportunity to come and dance in accordance with tunes and waves of victory. Moreover it is said many Muslim congress members at high and low levels are milking the government apparatus and for their economic survival they have to stay with MR and co. Otherwise they would be losing everything.
When mosques were burned down and shops were ransacked they did not have any political influence to take any meaningful action. At least they would have resigned from their posts as a protest. There was no talk of resigning from the post in the interest of Muslim community. How could Muslim community trust these puppet and vulgar politicians? What they have done for Muslim community? Nothing but milking government coffers for their selfish interest. While Muslim community was burning it was Sinhalese politicians who came forward to protect Muslim community in Aluthgama. One Sinhalese MP was almost severely beaten by Mobs. Today in Sri Lanka ethnicity does not matter whoever comes forward to serve humanity they should be respected and recognised as political leaders.
Today Muslim congress is supporting the sinking boat of MR not by choice but by compulsion. Otherwise, files of its members will come out. Some of them may have to run away from the country or some of them may have to face consequences at the hands of MR and co. When you come to politics you should have some courage and determination or you should mind your business and stay at home. Muslim congress should take some firm decision right now with one or two days. They go alone with wining waves and join shoulder to shoulder with Maithiri. This is not only in the interest of Muslim community but in the interest of this beautiful county. The beauty of this nation has been tarnished by the hands of most corrupted and crook MR and co. It is a collective duty of each and every patriotic Lankan to support Maithiri in this election. His win is a victory of democracy over nepotism and corruption. His win is a victory for each and every Lankan. His win is a victory for our judiciary and His win is a victory for millions of poor Sri Lankan. It is a moral duty of each and every Sri Lankan to support Maithiri. If you have an iota of Love for your mother land support Maithiri. If you do not mind to handover this nation to robbers of public money then you vote for MR and co. By voting for MR and co you would be doing a great injustice to this nation.
It is still not too late for Hakeem and his cohorts in Muslim congress to come out and make some solid decision at this crucial juncture. Speaking out against injustice and dictatorial rules is one of the best devotional act. So why not he joins the forces of democracy and freedom fighters. The entire world knows that Maithiri is going to win this election.
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