Another withdrawn Gazette; controversy over auspicious times

One government matter done with speed is withdrawing printed gazettes, withdrawing meaning: gazettes are printed, distributed and called back. This is totally stupid and lacking in responsibility. A matter has to be considered, thoroughly debated, and a clear, unambiguous statement/rule decided on unanimously or on majority consent. Not in this fair isle! A finger is thrust into the fire foolishly and finger withdrawn burnt. But no reprimand from on high (officials et al) and no protest from below (the citizenry).

In her previous Cry, Cassandra did not want to pile her plate of comments with the Penal Code issue of reducing the age of consent to sex as her plate of absurdities and crimes to comment on was so full; unlike the rice plate of the majority. Then she read the opinion expressed by ‘Concerned Sri Lankan’ in The Island of Friday April 5. He very precisely and succinctly explained the issue revolving round the sudden lowering of age of consent to sex from 16 to 14 for a girl; minimum age for a man to be said to be guilty of rape – nonconsensual sex with a girl considered a minor (16) – is raised to 22.

Cass quotes from his article titled, Redoubtable ‘wisdom’ of our lawmakers: “This initiative on the part of the government set in motion a flurry of heavy and resounding protests by… (public, women, medical profession) against this contemptible attempt to amend the Penal Code by publishing the gazette notification.” He itemises the official path to be followed to submit a Bill. He states “It is quite clear that none of these formalities were adhered to, as many of these institutions, including the Parliament have denied any knowledge of this bill that was hastily sprung through a Govt. Gazette notification. It is necessary to look for the reasons that prompted this despicable attempt.”

There lies a hint that something lay behind the seen surface, in the background, as is invariably the case in Sri Lanka now – so full of intrigue, dishonesty, cheating, breaking laws with impunity, and money ruling over all else. Did someone want to escape punishment as given in the Penal Code for a sex crime? Cass may be jumping high to conclusions, but one can expect anything and everything unlawful being done – even amending existing laws to save a VVIP or Money Bag. After all our land is like no other!

Women’s organisations especially have raised their voice in protest. A girl, particularly, at 14 years of age is still a child. She may not even have had her first period. How is she to be able to agree to having sex when she may not know what it is? Hardly do our local schools include sex education in their curriculums. Absurdity, stupidity, a cunning motive backing may be adduced to this move to amend a ‘clause’ of the Penal Code. Cass adds ‘cruelty’ to it.

Aluth Avurudhu

The sun certainly is travelling within the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator which is the region in which Sri Lanka lies. It is supposed to travel from Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). Cass takes the liberty of changing Aries to Aves so the sun visits fish and birds. This time the almighty sun seems determined to scorch them and for good measure burn humans alive in this area too. Never have we felt the heat of the day so badly, which heat proceeds to nights too.

Added to the aberration of the sun’s predicted travel in this auspicious period, astrologers of our land have tied us in knots. They are aberrated in their time prediction. Cass heard a friend say that the hearth has to be lit for the first time in the New Year at 11 something pm – in the night. Cass could not recall having ignited her gas stove for the first time in the Avuruddha at night, but her domestic and a visitor assured her there had been instances when the auspicious time had been declared at times this part of the world is supposed to be wrapped in sleep. Usually now the nonagathe ends and the hearth is ignited for the first time in the New Year in the mornings or even afternoon.

Was it dear old Gnana Akka or some other person dealing with the occult who wants to take revenge for bad luck in her/his life predicting such an inappropriate time for the start of the Aluth Avuruddha? You can be sure Cass is not going to get up to switch on her gas cooker at near midnight. So bad luck to her House in the coming year!

Then she had an ear-in to gossip. A three wheeler driver tells her that the controversy about the auspicious time for the start of the New Year being in the middle of the night was because political astrologers aligned to the Bud Party did not accept this reading of the country’s horoscope. Why? Because the night of April 13 this year is predicted to be a bad, inauspicious time to the party’s Patriarch. Politics and members of recently prominent families dominate even Avurudhu nekath velaval. The planets too must revolve for their good!

New Year celebrations have started, at least on TV channels. Good thing too since Man’s life is not based on bread or rice alone. Sri Lankans are generally happy-go-lucky and love a bit of fun in their usually dreary lives, this year made worse by turning life sweaty and enervated by the sun being right overhead and never as vicious in sending its heat rays down as this Bak maase. Stated was the fact that expenses on Avurudhu shopping and kevili is less than what they were last year. One point very succinctly made by cartoonist Jeffrey of The Island was his depiction of two rockets, one shooting down and the other up. Yes, the first was the dollar, depreciating against the SL rupee while the upward swing was the COL. Dollar is down but prices are still very high of almost everything. How come? Middlemen to blame or the traders?

Will he? Won’t he?

Is Sajith, son of resolute Ranasinghe Premadasa, donning Hamlet’s mantle and changing The Prince of Denmark’s cry from To be or not to be to “Will I or will I not”, “Debate or not to” “Funk and dodge the challenge.” AKD is determined to meet him on the floor, verbally. Why should Sajith back out? After all, elocution and precise pronunciation of both the Sinhala word and English is his forte. Also he has a wide vocabulary in both languages at his command, particularly English, invariably using multi-syllabled, complex words in his speeches to even the hoi polloi. After all, he did attend the prestigious London School of Economics, though he did not graduate. The assassination of his father recalled him back home.

It will be an interesting and yes, stimulating to the brain debate for even the listeners. Of course it will be in Sinhala, selected by AKD. He’ll thrust and parry in his usual cool, even- voiced manner. SP will elocute with verve and variance of tone. Both will speak sense since they are knowledgeable and have facts at fingertips.

Stop Press

Wednesday April 10. Newspapers announced Maitripala Sirisena who dropped a bombshell that India was the force behind the suicide bombings in 2019, fouling relationship with Big Brother and splintering the SLFP, has departed to Thailand, with family in tow. Mustapha’s, (in Singapore) here we come a-shopping! Escaping too, we suppose.

Cassandra wishes her readers a Sinhala and Tamil New Year of lesser heat and dimmed down politics and turned on fun. Subha Aluth Avuruddhak vewa!