Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

08 November 2021

 

 

THINKING OR KNOWING DEEPAVALI

Justice Minister Ali Sabry submitted his letter of resignation, from his membership in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), his parliamentary seat, and the justice portfolio, to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Friday (5), The Sunday Morning reliably learnt. 

Around the same time, the Governor of Northern Province shared the following message with the citizens of Northern Province:

[Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the festivals celebrated by Hindus.

All the Hindus from all over the world celebrate this day as a festival .This is the festival which is intertwined with the life of Hindus from the ancient time.

Diwali is celebrated according to the last wish of demon Narakasura when SriKrishna destroyed the demon Narakasura.

Let’s illuminate our minds with lights so that our inner darkness may be dispelled and brighter life may shine on this day]

 

In contrast, an American Tamil wrote:

 

[The Tamils in the UK must vehemently protest PM’s message. Ravanan was a Tamil king and a Siva Pakthan so he cannot demonize him like the way he said it . British Tamils MUST write a letter to him , a must. You must say that he had hurt the feelings of 80 million Tamils around the world.]

 Which of the above is Political and which is Governance?

 

To my mind, Mr Ali Sabry’s action,  the message of the British PM and that of the American Tamil are Political. The Northern Governor’s is balanced in terms of majority. A Sri Lankan response was:

[Though I have never met His Excellency Governor Thiagarajah I have recently read about him and was extremely impressed by his down to earth, honest, humble, 'grass roots' approach.]

 

My measure is more through the Deepavali message. During discussions on this and whether Ramayanam was fiction, I responded as follows:

[What you state is a fact at three levels:

1.     That you stated it

2.     You respect the person who stated it

3.     It is an expression of your Belief

The British PM took position 2 due to Hindu British. Likewise our Australian PM]

Both Prime Ministers were being Political. To the extent British citizens receive the message as per their own investment in governance especially in terms of migrant wellbeing the value is raised towards governance level.

In terms of 3 above, that governance is instantaneous. Hence Lord Krishna said – I am the King and I am the People. Written laws help us think together. Recently the French President Emmanuel Macron responded with ‘I don’t think, I know -to the question about  our PM in relation to the $90 billion submarine contract ‘You think he lied to you?’ The response would fall into 2 or 3 above. To one who follows the law it would be 2 above and hence ‘think’. To one who is self-governing – it is part of her/his consciousness and hence ‘know’.

 

Likewise, Deepavali.