225: Come out of the dark, you do not have a mandate

There’s ‘no’ mandate for the entire 225 MPs to represent the public when they are hidden in the bunkers or in alternative houses due to being chased by the public

First parliamentary elections held in 1947 and 16 years long (1931 to 1947) state council system was abolished. When prime minister D.S. Senanayake died in an accident Dudley Senanayake formed a government as prime minister on 26 March 1952. Parliamentary elections were held on 24-31 May 1952, and the United National Party (UNP) won 66 out of 101 seats in the House of Representatives. Dudley Senanayake of the UNP was re-appointed as prime minister on 2 June 1952. 

The 16th parliamentary elections were held on 5 August 2020, SLPP coalition, a breakaway party from historical Freedom Party, claimed a landslide victory in the election, winning 145 seats while SJB, a breakaway party from UNP United National Party, won 54 seats, Tamil National Alliance won 10 seats and National People’s Power won 3 seats. 

Historically a social crisis popped up in 1953 trailed 19 long years till 1972 and in 2021 economic and social crisis erupts in the ever largest scale to sink the central bank to zero liquidity of foreign reserves. 

In 2022, civil society led by secular youth with international exposure reacts to the catastrophe to establish that there’s ‘no’ mandate for the current parliament and entire 225 members as in breach of contract with the public at the election; MPs are being chased in the thrash of the waves by the public.  

Few critical accusations are: Parliament system failed and breached the contract with the public and failed to provide basic necessities, failed to provide financial and physical security, etc.

Opposition has categorically failed to make policy decisions, failed to help the public for basic necessities and failed to form a government when the opposition is the alternative government in any democratically appointed parliament. Being failed to make decisions on behalf of the public, oppositions do not have legitimate rights to quote the next best alternative. 

The entire 225 had all the luxuries while the entire nation suffered without basic needs medicines, electricity, fuel and gas. Neither parliamentarians came out to help the public in terms of the needs nor were plans provided to come out of the crisis. Rather most family trips, local and international shopping are completed with immediate families and billionaire friends. 

When Russia attacked Ukraine, the opposition and government went into a bunker with the public. 

Every Kiev stood with an entire pool of elected MPs. In Greece, Ukraine, Italy and France all the traditional parties were flushed through the barge pole and new opportunities were created for youth and non-traditional parties to test their skills and loyalty. 

There is no single alternative plan provided in Sri Lanka by parliamentarians which is the prime duty of the hour. While both Government and Opposition leaders have been hit harder morally and physically by the protestors at large, there are no champion MPs who could meet the youth protesting island-wide; no acceptance, hence no mandate.  

There’s ‘no’ mandate for the entire 225 MPs to represent the public when they are hidden in the bunkers or in alternative houses due to being chased by the public. 

As parliament in 1952 had not done it wisely, there were two decades of crisis 1953-1963 and crisis phase 2 from 1963-1966 and phase 3 from 1967-1971 ended up with lost lives including a Prime Minister and a large cohort of eligible youth.

Parliament today should establish the norms very well for the public, then go for an election and get a mandate from the public. Without setting basic needs and norms for the public there is no value of democracy as African, Venezuela examples prove that even law and order was compromised.

Let the economy be established! Otherwise all the traditional parties, traditional politicians will be in the dustbin of history as happened in France, Ukraine, Italy, Greece and partially in India.