The true power play in Parliament

This is just after the first ever single day, countrywide, strike action in Sri Lanka.As the protests against the Rajapaksa Brotherhood continue, we may be moving to the next big Hartal in this country. After the historic Hartal in 1953 – which saw country-wide civil-disobedience and strike, where 10 people were killed, and Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake resigned.

While the protests at Galle Face and near Temple Trees continue, with recorded Pirith chanting seen as a key government weapon against the Mahindagama protesters, and the SJB activists walk from Kandy to Colombo, the Gota Go game is fast moving to a Play in Parliament.

Who has 113? This number is the focus in the parliamentary play about sending Gota home, and removing the Cabinet led by Mahinda. Everyone in the parliamentary field is looking for a catch on 113 – the majority number in the 225-member House.

Can the Podujana team of Gotabaya be sure of its hold on 113? Will the so-called dissident team of 40 who have crossed over from the government to opposition benches be able to gather 113, or are they serious about it? Can the Sajith Premadasa-led SJP team be able to show a winning 113, even with JVP, and some other independent support? How can the Sumanthiran-led Tamil-politico team create a new record with 113?

The 113 votes in parliament have become the real Gota Go Home battle, the emerging drive against Mahinda R, as well as the political number against the Rajapaksa Rajapavula.

In many debates on TV, radio and in social media, there are those who insist that Gota should not be made to resign; they ask, “Who is there to succeed him?” Can it be just any other member of the 225-member parliament? How educated, politically experienced, and honest (if possible) would such a presidential nominee be? This is an interesting play in the Pohottuva moves to keep Gota in today’s place, and because Mahinda Mama cannot seek another presidential position.

These Pohottu players, and their supporters, including lawyers, academics, and many Sinhala- Buddhist nationalists, are playing on the 113 watch and catch, hoping for a fade away of Galle Face activists and the Mahindagama protesters, not sullied by the Political Pirith Play.

Whatever the Gota-Mahinda way down politics of today produces, it is important for Sri Lankans to see the new need to bring new, and big changes to the 225 in parliament, with the power of 113 plus.

What we need after the Gota/Mahinda and Rajapavula are hard facts brought by the JRJ constitution and played with great success by the present Rajapavula.

Do we need to give elected Members of Parliament (MPs) any vehicles at all? If we do, can’t they manage with small vehicles? Let’s not forget that we had enough MPs from North, South, East and Central who did come for their parliamentary duties by bus and train.

How much will or should an MP be paid per month, and what should the cost of their daily meals in parliament be, paid for by the people?

How can laws or regulations be passed to make sure that MPs do not give spouses, children, cousins and in-laws, too, of public paid jobs in the public offices they function – including as Ministers of both Cabinet and State?

There is much more of this need to cut down on Parliamentary expenditure, and save public money that is hugely wasted by all parliamentary players today. This is not just Rajapaksa crookedness, but the warped play of almost all MPs today – the 225 with 113 plus.

What party or group in Parliament today will seriously think of a change back to the electoral system, where MPs were elected from area electorates and not whole districts? It was that electoral system which made the MPs known to the people, and good servers to the public and not as corrupt political thieves. We certainly need 113 and many more to restore honesty to politics and governance.

How many in today’s Parliament will be willing to give a 113 or more vote to stop the current system of appointed members of Parliament, bringing in hugely defeated members by the public vote, and other players in politics who have had no role in service to the public? Let us think of those Appointed MPs of the very early Parliaments, before that system was brought into ridicule and the mockery it is today. This would also need 113 plus for good democratic play.

The action that continues at the Galle Face Green and the new protests near Temple Trees, as well as protests in many parts on the country, call for a major return to Democracy, with the true spread of the democratic process – and far away from the Rajavasala Balaya of the Rajapaksa Bunch.

This is the real play of the 113 and plus in Parliament, not only to get rid of both Gota and Mahinda, brother Basil, old Speaker player and the very hopeful Namal – son and nephew.

Let the prayers and hopes of the people rise above the chants of the Rajapaksa Players, with a truly democratic play of 113 and more in the Parliament of the People.