Remember all the fanfare and publicity involved with the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress resigning from his seat in parliament to contest the fist elections to the Eastern Provincial Council? It’s not easy to forget that with the attempts by some sections of the media to show what a great sacrifice it was.

Now, why was there no such publicity when he came back to the House? This gave the impression he was returning through the back door, which I don’t think is correct, unless you are among the vast number of those who consider the National List as a kind of backdoor or side entrance to the supreme legislature.

Puzzled by the return move by Mr. Rauff Hakeem, I asked Prof. Chandagundu Deshapaalu, an acknowledged expert on Sri Lanka’s current system of not so representative democracy, to explain the possible reasons for politicians who make such well publicized sacrifices to dump its consequences so fast.

"Could it be that a loss of love for the people of the east?

Prof: Chandagundu: "No, no you must not think so. Don’t forget the SLMC’s connections to the east are as strong as an umbilical chord. That is where it was born."

"But aren’t umbilical chords cut off after birth?"

"That may be, but the bond between the mother and child is not lost by that. It grows over time."

"Then why did he not remain where he chose to go and serve the people of the east from the EPC? Was there a rejection by the East, like some organ that does not match in transplant surgery?"

"I don’t think there was any such rejection. But one must be happy with what one gets after the incomparable sacrifice of resigning from parliament."

"But what did he not get? He was elected; in fact he carried the Trincomalee District for then UNP-SLMC alliance. What more could they give him?

"But he wasn’t made the Chief Minister. Aspirations are so important in politics, too."

"Is it only the Chief Minister who can serve the people of a province?"

"Now, don’t run away with the idea that the first thought of all politicians, even the sacrificing types, is service to the people at the provincial level. They have other aims too."

"Such as?"

"Such as service at the national level, and that is where parliament is important."

"What would have prevented him from serving the people as the Leader of the Opposition of the EPC? After all, the former child soldier Pillaiyan seems an amiable guy, at least so far?"

"But the SLMC leader would not have enough fuel to serve the people?

"How come?"

"Don’t be so dumb; see how the MPs got their fuel allowances increased. Now, if you get a fuel allowance hike at the PC level it won’t be as big as what you get from parliament. And one must be well fuelled to serve the people. That can’t be a bad choice just now."

"Now don’t tell me that this former minister abandoned all his supporters in the east just for a larger quota of fuel?’

"No, there is much more"

"Such as, again?"

"Don’t forget food. These days, food and fuel go together."

"You mean the SLMC leader can’t feed himself and his family?"

"I never even thought of such a thing. No, the restaurant at the EPC is not as large well supplied, and possibly not as economical (I don’t say cheap) as what is there in parliament. It is to feed the large number of political catchers, and possibly voters, who come seeking service. You can’t blame a politician for wanting to feed as many people as possible, to good food, at public expense. That is their privilege granted by the people,"

"Interesting indeed; the privileges of Food and Fuel."

"That is not all. Think of the security. Don’t you forget that today there is a huge competition among politicians to have the biggest security on show, whether there is a threat to them or not. You can’t even compete in this by just being in a PC, especially for those who have been MPs."

"Is that also a privilege?"

"Of course it is. You must not blame Hakeem. He is only a victim of this system of privilege. How can you expect anyone, just because he or she claims to a serve the people, to ignore or a abandon the privileges of personal staff drawn from one’s own family; not forgetting the privileged benefit of duty free cars that come along so frequently, the MPs allowance coupled with the "sittings allowances"; and those many other fringe benefits that they are privileged to have, that they are bound to miss in a provincial council. However willing they me be to sacrifice these before cameras, it is only human to hanker after these. When it comes to sacrifice, one can consider them as great pretenders."

"But why come though the backdoor as many see it?"