Daily News Editorial

Devapriya, a confused man

23 December 2016

Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya, like his SLFP colleague Dilan Perera, never misses an opportunity to demonstrate his antipathy towards the UNP. The Chief Minister, like Perera, has a special dislike for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and everything that represents the UNP, never mind that the post of Chief Minister he now holds, with all its perks and privileges, was a direct outcome of the 13th Amendment enacted under a UNP government. In fact the Perera, Devapriya duo have today become the standard bearers of the SLFP, even more so than the President himself.

Devapriya has taken exception to the UNP using the President’s photographs at party events and talks as if he has secured the patent rights for President Sirisena and the UNP had better keeps its hands off their leader. “President Sirisena is also the SLFP leader and therefore the UNP cannot use President Sirisena to promote its political party”, he said addressing a media briefing on Wednesday. Devapriya apparently is all mixed up, seeing the woods for the trees. He has failed to comprehend that what we have is a unity government, read National Government. Both major parties are stakeholders in this National Government and hence the UNP has as much a right to display the photograph of the leader of this government as much as the SLFP, at all functions associated with development. The UNP has never displayed President Sirisena’s photograph at political events, though some of these functions associated with development may at times take on a political hue. There was no picture of the President seen anywhere when he graced the UNP’s annual convention. In any event, the Grand Old Party, which preceded the SLFP, and boasts of a rich political tradition certainly can do without the photographs of leaders of other political parties for its events.

At the same briefing, the Chief Minister, though, went onto grudgingly acknowledge the UNP’s contribution towards the victory of the Common Candidate but goes onto qualify this by claiming that it was only because the UNP did not have a proper leader capable of defeating former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Devapriya, if he is honest with himself, should admit that he was firmly planted in the Rajapaksa camp during the last Presidential election and not only backed the former President to the hilt but also cast aspersions on the CC. The Chief Minister, with fellow travellers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, was not only a vocal critic of the person whom he now embraces and wants to protect from the wiles of the UNP, but also went along with the large scale vilification campaign that was carried out against the CC without raising a murmur of protest. It is laughable indeed that the self same Devapriya has today become an ardent disciple of the very individual he strove to defeat at the hustings.

Devapriya, hence, has no moral right to talk about who should and who should not use the President’s photographs at their party events. He goes onto gloss over the UNPs contribution to the victory of the Common Candidate in a clear attempt at obfuscation. He his fully aware that it was not just through the UNP votes that the CC was elected but that it was the Greens that were in charge of the entire election campaign and had to overcome severe odds, including a highly adverse media blitzkrieg, state terrorism and the entire state machinery, not to mention the extreme violence at the hands of the Rajapaksa juggernaut in which many party supporters were killed or injured.

Therefore, Devapriya should acknowledge that, if not for the UNP’s massive contribution towards the victory of the CC, he would not be the Chief Minister today, having secured the post with the grace of President Sirisena, who was elected President through the UNP votes and sacrifice of the party. The President himself has cleared the air on the matter on countless occasions for Devapriya’s edification. Hence the UNP is more than entitled to use the President’s picture at their own choosing and the sooner Devapriya comes to terms with this fact, the better it will be for the political health of those who are baying for the UNP’s blood.

The Chief Minister, also at the same media briefing, goes onto state that the UNPers were trying to mislead the SLFPers into believing that the President supported them (UNP). As the leader of the SLFP, President Sirisena, it goes without saying, has to boost the prospects of his own party. But this does not detract from the President’s own admission that he was propelled to power by the UNP and that he was ever grateful for that. President Sirisena since assuming the Presidency has attended both UNP annual conventions, and what is more, on the eve of the General Elections, all but gave the green light for a UNP victory, by cutting the grass from the under the feet of the UPFA campaign leader. How the SLFP interprets this is up to individuals such as Devapriya.