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Rampaging politicians and the law and order problem

An ugly episode at the Ragama Hospital has brought to the fore, once again, the problem of power-drunk, rampaging politicos and the threats they pose to the peace-loving public, the law of the land and the norms and values of civilized living.

Reports said that the politician in question, a Pradeshiya Sabha member, had gone berserk on being asked to follow the established procedure on getting oneself treated at the hospital's OPD. He had even unleashed savage violence on hospital officials, including the doctor on duty.

In fact, the recent past has witnessed a rash of incidents involving law-breaking politicians who have brought disrepute to the State. Some have even broken into police stations and forced the release of offenders who had been taken into police custody for criminal offences. The despicable behaviour of some ruling politicians, at glittery social events at Five Star hotels are, of course, too well-known to merit repetition here.

We have time and again, focused strongly on this issue of power-abusing, maniacal politicians, but our pleadings for socially acceptable, civilized conduct on the part of these persons seem to have fallen on deaf ears. A perusal of our recent political history reveals that bullying, blustering and criminally-inclined politicians have done both the public and governments immense harm. If anything substantial is to be done by way of ushering in social accord and peace, these rampaging politicians should be held to account and punished.

Incidentally, the enactment of ugly scenes in Parliament by some opposition politicians who care tuppence about besmirching the hallowed interior of the legislature, would only compound the difficulties inherent in making law and order reign in this land. They too must be brought to book if progress is to be made on the law and order front.

The criminalization of politics and connected issues have been dogging this country at its heels for years, but unless and until a concerted effort is made to establish accountable behaviour on the part everyone wielding authority, the multi-dimensional crisis which has been having a stranglehold grasp over this country, is unlikely to be resolved.

In this major enterprise of bringing a substantial degree of law and order to the body-politic, we need to begin with certain fundamentals. It is all too evident that many of those who enter politics do not have the basic qualifications for the great vocation that awaits them. For, it needs to be conceded that a career in politics, affords one the opportunity of working for the greater good of the public. However, our problem today is that many politicians who are allowed to run for election do not possess the necessary moral character nor competencies for the job that awaits them.

Accordingly, political parties need to look to the possibility of weeding out the bad eggs from their midst. To begin with, those with questionable track records, with regard to ethical, lawful conduct and otherwise, shouldn't be given the opportunity to run for election.

Incidentally, we wonder what became of the Code of Ethical Conduct, the UNF was expecting to have its members adhere to?

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