He has been dwelling in the place where he grew up Tangalle after his stunning annihilation in the presidential decisions about 50 days prior. As per news reports, his electing misfortune takes its place nearby that of previous Indian leader Indira Gandhi, who was so sure of her ubiquity that she called early races in 1977. Mr Rajapaksa excessively had — guided by his soothsayer — called for ahead of schedule decisions.
His living arrangement is kept an eye on by two policemen in olive-green outfits alongside three knowledge authorities wearing plain, robust shaded half-sleeved shirts and dark trousers. They cast a quick take a gander at me and keep viewing the inclining street. Sari-clad ladies, men in shirts and beautiful sarongs and uniformed schoolchildren are strolling here and there it.
Some of them stroll past the entryway of the living arrangement, which is shaded by a huge tree, to meet with and have their youngsters favored by "Mahinda Raja" (King Mahinda). He is typically display in his home yet throughout the previous two days he has been in Colombo and is currently on his approach to Tangalle.
This I know on the grounds that I came to Carlton House on Thursday when I was prior unyieldingly told by a contact whom had I met serendipitously in Mount Lavinia in Colombo that I ought to meet Mr Rajapaksa. "He hasn't talked freely to the media after his appointive misfortune and you ought to identify with him and expound on it," my contact said.
So here I am by the door holding up for Nishantha Sandabarana, a nearby associate to Mr Rajapaksa, who will take me to meet him. I am struck by the normality of the whole scene. There is a drug store beside Carlton House where individuals buy their prescriptions. Right inverse the house is an union chamber office, beside it is a blaze detachment and close by a silver screen. No one is ceased by the law implementation authorities. There are no checkpoints. No invigorated passageway. One can't help contemplating the braced house of our previous president in his home city Karachi.
Half past eight and transports upon transports draw up at Carlton House. Individuals wearing their best garments go inside the house. Plainly, he is still extremely well known. Later, a policeman advises me that two days after the presidential result was reported on Jan 9, individuals began to show up outside his habitation since 4am. "Thousands came that day," he says, including that nowadays, hundreds come consistently to pay their regards to the previous president.
Around after 45 minutes Mr Sandabarana shows up. He lets me know that Mr Rajapaksa ought to touch base in thirty minutes. I am taken inside the door and coordinated towards a seat by a small security room. Here, individuals hand over their cellular telephones and after that stand quietly in a line.
At a quarter past nine, I detect a vast dark vehicle entering the compound. The swarm serenades "Jayaviva" (May you have a long life). Mr Rajapaksa has at long last arrived.
Mr Sandabarana comes to get me however first I need to hand over my pack to the security staff. We stroll past the long line and Mr Sandabarana says: "I let him know that a Pakistani woman needs to meet him in light of the fact that you live in her heart and in Pakistani individuals' hearts." Without thinking twice, I reply: "Ah, yes! Totally."
I am brought to a room with individuals remaining in line before a vast glass-topped work area; the previous president is situated in a cocoa cowhide seat. He grins and we shake hands. "It is flawless to meet you," I say. "I can't envision us meeting our previous president like this. You are extremely prevalent." He shafts, catching my hand warmly. I ask him that the Sri Lankans I have met here say that Pakistan helped in suppressing the Tamil rebellion. In what way? "See, the US, Europe, the West, they are not our companions," he says. "Pakistan helped us, particularly Musharraf. What happened in my nation and the revolt happening in your nation, RAW [India's Research and Analysis Wing] is behind it." I ask him how Pakistan and Sri Lanka can grow closer ties. "I have gone by Pakistan twice and went to Taxila and saw the Buddhist relics," he says. "Individuals here don't think about these things."
Inclining back in his seat, he gets to be contemplative and he could call his own volition talks about his thrashing in the races. "The Muslims in the east and individuals in the north were deceived, most likely by worldwide powers," he muses.
Any message for the Pakistani individuals, I ask. "We trust your revolt is over soon, that the nation succeeds and we get to be closer."
Before I take my leave, I say thanks to him bountifully for meeting me, "I need to ask you this, do regardless you trust in crystal gazing?" "Now, I don't," he says and laughs uncontrolla
Tags
Enghish News