Parliament, they say, is Supreme. Thanks to a brave Sports Minister it stood Sublime for once in an age of turmoil in the country
Minister Roshan Ranasinghe until last Wednesday was as elusive as anything imaginable. But came the dawn and he rose like the rising sun to unite a fragmented Legislature with a masterpiece of bravery that brought down the high and mighty who called the shots in the country’s most followed sport of cricket that notoriously became the fiefdom of a “chosen few”.
To a people and country that cries out to high Heaven almost daily, Minister Ranasinghe was a saviour out of the blues whose speech or revelation in Parliament on Thursday was of master class, one of the most telling, eye-opening and ear-shattering ever made.
Except for a few out-of-place, self-styled egoistic pundits in Parliament, the entire country was compelled to salute Ranasinghe for his bravery and forthright attitude to clean up corruption wherever it exists and who deserves to be in the top shelf, a cut-above-the rest who scored heavily on the big stage.
Minister Ranasinghe did not fall for the lavishness at Sri Lanka Cricket or the luxurious life-styles of the new super rich who would never have savoured such monumental comforts if not for cricket. Cricketers win or lose, bring in the big bucks and their keepers indulge in their favourite indoor games.
Minister Ranasinghe showed how an elected people’s representative should stand up to the occasion, a true role model and a man for the discerning to emulate in the worst of times
He stood firm and strong playing with a straight bat that should be autographed by every cricket follower and declared a priceless piece of memorabilia. Minister Ranasinghe not only had the bats, but also the balls to fight the good fight and take it even beyond limits taking into account the many battles that have ended in stalemated conclusion or some may say drab draws.
Minister Ranasinghe displayed bravery and integrity putting his career on the line and did not give up the fight in the face of threats and grave drawbacks. He had no bullet proof cars, jeeps with armed personnel and motor cycle outriders with blazing sirens.
What Ranasinghe revealed not only shocked the country and his fellow Parliamentarians. It had enough to send chilling shock waves down the spines of cricket’s global keeper the International Cricket Council.
It exposed the sordid saga of a group of men who were not installed on a popular vote but lived the kind of high life that none of their predecessors did, abusing power, practicing nepotism and savouring everything that was Seven Star all of which has been officially declared in a precious Probe Report that the whole country could see.
It can only be hoped that future cricket administrators will not bring Minister Ranasinghe’s monumental piece of history to a thing of the past when it should be preserved for the future.
There is a script that awaits Hollywood or more appropriately Bollywood.
