The Government Is Clueless How To Serve The Country Better – Politics Religionized & Religion Politisized

By Lacille de Silva –MARCH 9, 2018

Lacille de Silva

“All men are my children. As for my own children I desire that they may be provided with all the welfare and the happiness of this world and the next, so do I desire for all men as well” -Emperor Asoka. 

Emperor Asoka had embraced Buddhism after a gruesome war. He had undergone a change histrionically and had ruled the country thereafter while adhering to Buddhist principles, wisely and justly. He had encouraged all citizens to  respect the freedom to follow their own beliefs and religions and to refrain from criticism of the viewpoints of others. He had also counselled that everyone should essentially increase the “inner worthiness”. He had adopted a paternalistic view on administration and had considered that it was his duty to serve for their greater good.

He had looked upon the citizens’ welfare and had used state resources for cultivation of medical herbs, digging of wells, rest houses, planting fruit trees along public roads etc. He had ensured as a ruler to guarantee respect for life of humans and flora and fauna. His only aim had been to treat all living beings including nature with compassion, love, understanding, kindness while ensuring peaceful co-existence. He had banned cruelty to animals and hunting certain species of animals. He had reformed the judicial system too, to ensure fairness, to prevent abuse and  extremes. He had also established a Department separately to look after the interests of different religions and for the purpose of encouraging the practicing of religion. 

Our leaders abuse political office for private gain. They think differently and act deviously because they are rotten apples with awful characteristics and preference towards criminal activity. PM a few months ago in Parliament said that his wife gets a higher salary than him and hence he would not hesitate to support the proposals to increase salaries of parliamentarians and provide vehicles to carry out their work in electorates. Media revealed countless examples of politicians with defective morals and penchant for criminal activity. And how they acted contrary to the pledges. They were voted in 2015 to run a responsible government.

In Japan, in 1976, the then PM Tanaka Kakuei had been involved in a corruption scandal. Tanaka was found guilty for accepting cash-stuffed boxes as kick-backs, which had been delivered to his private residence,  for pushing through a deal to purchase a few aircrafts built by Lockheed. Kanaka thereafter was compelled to resign and he had been subsequently convicted. In late 1980s, Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, who had accepted donations etc., was forced to resign and had been dealt with by the law.

In Sri Lankan context, due to the culture of impunity, politicos who have been accused of massive scandals, murder etc., have not been dealt with by law for decades. There are similar turncoats who have benefited having obtained even ministerial posts too. Such crooks hold on to position shamelessly, refuse to even stepdown unlike in other countries. They even safe-guard their political opponents. The judiciary, police, prosecutors have been rendered powerless. They therefore cannot effectively enforce laws to curb corruption. Politicos continue robbing the State mercilessly and is unstoppable.

They abuse politics, position etc., to remain in power. They have not spared the religion too. Religion has also been exploited, dragged  in and injected deceitfully to divide the people craftily and venomously. They do so to remain in power because they need power at any cost. Religion does not cause any threat at all if they only use the guidelines of religious teachers for ethical and moral governance as in the case of Emperor Dharmashoka. Unscrupulous politicos drag ethnicity and religion to advance their personal political gain. Any religion that promotes murder, mayhem, hatred, violence, duplicity, thievery and harm is not a religion.

In politics too, there are directions that should be strictly observed by the rulers, according to the Buddha. Emperor Asoka unlike the present day politicos observed such rules with altruism.  Similar rulers both in India and Sri Lanka have proved beyond doubt that if you have good rulers you could ensure religious peace, tolerance and love. Machiavellian type of Sri Lankan politicos have thrown the rules in to the deep blue sea. Present political culture therefore has been appallingly polluted by such lowly leaderships over the last few decades. They have miserably failed to honour social and moral obligations as politicians. PM Wickremesinghe is no exception. He had failed to run governance as an altruistic leader. He said in Parliament that 43% live below the poverty line (less than 2 US $ a day) and that bulk of our people live in misery. We need humane political leaders with an iron fist to run governance, who feel the pulses of the citizens.

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