Dayasiri's irrational frivolousness
Dayasiri who left the UNP to join t he Mahinda regime claimed that resisting sexual harassment was the main reason that forced him to leave the UNP.
He emphasized resisting sexual harassment was the main reason for the UNP hierarchy seeking revenge against him. These revengeful acts forced him to leave the UNP and join the UPFA.
We are made to believe that the need to escape from a would be assault and discrimination on sexual basis drove him away from the UNP’s dictatorial party regime to a democratic space offered by President Mahinda.
Making a special statement in Parliament, he also said the UNP members had no freedom of thought and its leader was in a process of ridding the party of all the members who are loved by party supporters. Dayasiri Jayasekara further said a large number of popular members of the UNP had been removed from their electorates. Apparently most senior UNP leaders crossed over as they did not see a future for the country with the UNP.
He predicted that the UNP would never win elections as long as the Rajapaksas are loved by the people in the country. Dayasiri made these observations while making the statement that he decided to resign from his seat in Parliament due to the difficult situation created in the UNP, by restraining its member’s freedom of thought. He also said that the freedom of thought in the UNP has been dangerously threatened; hence he decided to join the government as a member who loves democracy.
It is an interesting statement though somewhat incongruous and contradictory! Dayasiri is a pleasant person with a charming personality. Being a singer with other artistic abilities he could be classified as a sensitive person. No doubt he is explaining things as he had sensed as an artiste and not as a lawyer eager to decipher and want to come to a logical conclusions. Because we all know sexual harassment is a serious crime irrespective whether it is of the same sex or in “normal” sex.
If such a thing has happened to a female member of parliament then it would have created a serious commotion with a case filed in a court of law. Inevitably, the culprit will get a heavy prison sentence with other conditions imposed. In this case par- liamentarian Dayasiri complains, as I understand, of same sex harassment and it could be a double crime, since unfortunately, same sex is still not legal in this country.
We have been campaigning for legitimising same sex for consenting adults, but we are yet to achieve that status. That means even approaching for same sex is illegal in this country. In this scenario if Dayasiri was serious about changing the dictatorship within the UNP he should have complained to the police as quickly as possible, about sexual harassment and discrimination on that basis!
If the facts were clear as they say, same sex dictator would have been in jail in no time. Thereafter, they could easily appoint a suitable leader with non criminal sexual behavior and gallantly march forward for victory.
On the other hand, if he does not have any real evidence then he is playing a despicable dirty game, in particular a crime against the suffering people of this country. That is even if we leave out the personal damage done to the person he accused.
However, the inconsistency of Dayasiri goes beyond the complaint of sexual discrimination. Last few years he explained to the people that Mahinda regime is a fascist style dictatorship full of corruption and nepotism. In particular he condemned racial hatred and oppression directed at minority communities. He led mass struggles in Colombo and elsewhere directed towards creating a massive uprising to throw out the chauvinist cruel Mahinda re gime. At least, that was what we were made to believe. Now he has changed his entire vision to see a democratic paradise under Mahinda regime while a cruel dictatorship has grown inside Sirikotha. When Mahinda brought in the 18th amendment,
Dayasiri had discussions Lakthilaka at Rajagiriya and seriously thought of stopping the inevitable dictatorship that could grow with Mahinda at its helm. At that time they were in haste to abolish the 18th amendment as they saw it in a framework for such a dictatorship.
Now they have turned 180 degrees to say that the freedom of thought within the UNP has been dangerously threatened. Hence Dayasiri decided to join the government as a member who loves democracy. According to his thinking, from 2009 to the present time the ruling elite has turned from a group hatching a cruel dictatorship to creators of a democratic paradise!
At the same time, the UNP leadership, which was making at least a noise against the chauvinist dictatorial regime of Mahinda, has become a hub of decadence and tyranny. Strange political thinking that does not take one anywhere.
In spite of dazzling monuments and massive structures that we could see here, the majority live in sorrow and misery. Politicians like Dayasiri gained popularity shouting for the down trodden and then jumped into the band wagon of the pitiless ruler. Who cares!
Inspite of mega development, the social progress is negative. Fraudsters, dirty hooligans and cunning mediocrity thrive while good men and women keep silent. Let us prepare for a better tomorrow disregarding the loss of Dayasiri.