We now know why many of the honorable members of Parliament behave the way they do in Parliament. A few weeks back, in these very columns, we speculated that it might have something to do with their mental faculties, as 94 of them have not even passed the basic educational qualification, which is the GCE Ordinary Level examination. It now transpires that this odd behavior is the result of substance abuse, as many of them are supposedly “high” on drugs. It won’t come as a shock if it is revealed one of these days that the chest beating speeches that some members are known to make are the result of a few sniffs of the powdered stuff. Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, who is no stranger to controversy, let the cat among the pigeons by claiming that many MPs were drug users. He claimed that he knew who the offenders were and that he in fact had a dossier with the names of the offenders. Having caused the anticipated uproar, he proceeded to put his money where his mouth was by voluntarily subjecting himself to both a blood and urine test to prove that he was as clean as the white shirt he wore for the tests. He challenged the other MPs to do the same and clear their names if his revelation had cast suspicion on them. At the time of going to press, there were no takers of this open challenge and chances are, there won’t be any. Being a professional actor, Ramanayake rose to fame as “One Shot”, a character that fights for social justice and is prepared to go to any extent to ensure that justice is not just done but is also seen to be done. So far, Ramanayake has backed up his claims through a letter to the Speaker and a statement given to the special committee appointed by his party leader to investigate his claims. Subsequently, by Friday afternoon, social media was abuzz with a purported list of offenders that included both young and old MPs Whatever the merits of Ramanayake’s claim – and we shall leave it to the proper authorities to find out – the conduct of our lawmakers leaves much to be desired. They have collectively embarrassed the nation and made it a laughing stock. Last week, the committee appointed to look into the incidents that shook Parliament mid-November last year, had found 55 members mostly from the “Joint” Opposition (no pun intended) were responsible for causing damage to parliamentary property, valued at nearly Rs. 350,000. The public, which watched live television coverage of the fiasco, could not have helped but wonder as to what substance was responsible for the disgraceful conduct of the rampaging MPs. It is no secret that politicians act as godfathers to drug barons, kasippu mudalalies, smugglers, murderers, rapists, and extortionists that make up the underworld as well as all manner of unsavoury, anti-social elements. Most often, it is the illegal activities of these crime syndicates that fund and bankroll politicians and the cushy lives they lead. It is therefore important for the executive to ensure that there is absolutely no political interference in the ongoing war on drugs and the resultant war against the underworld. Already, some big fish have been netted locally, consequent to the arrest of underworld kingpin Makandure Madush in Dubai. President Sirisena, who is following the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s model, must ensure that no politician gets involved in or is in a position to influence the ongoing efforts of the Police, led by the Special Task Force and its no-nonsense boss, Senior DIG Latheef. With the Dubai investigations gathering pace, resulting in several local arrests, it is just a matter of time before names begin to pop up and cover ups begin to take place. This is what must be avoided at all costs as the country can no longer afford to put up with the level of criminality that is taking place. The fact that an entire investigative unit of the Police have been found to be involved with the unpardonable murder of two young businessmen in Rathgama last month, could well be the veritable straw that broke the camel’s back, and in this instance, what ended the patience of civil society in tolerating crimes by men in uniform. The respect commanded by a service uniform must never be allowed to be compromised. Men in uniform, who engage in criminality, must be dealt with quickly and firmly, in order to maintain public trust. Actions that destroy public faith in the long arm of the law can lead to serious issues that are best avoided. The Police especially, must ensure that they are not only above board but also seen to be above board as public perception is of utmost importance. President Sirisena, who has insisted on keeping the Police under his Defence portfolio, must ensure that the Rathgama incident is comprehensively investigated and the culprits identified and brought before the law in the shortest possible time. Any sign of leniency on the part of the President will not only be a deviation from the Duterte model he so avidly follows, but will also dilute the credit accrued to him on his handling of the Police. Therefore, the time has come for him to walk the talk in ensuring the impartiality of the Police, and ensure that the law is equal to all – be it the rogue police investigative unit in the south that murders innocent people, MPs who destroy public property in Parliament, or the drug lords that prop up corrupt politicians. It is lamentable that elected politicians have repeatedly let the country down when destiny required them to stand up and be counted. Destiny is once again calling, on one individual, to stand up and do what’s right by the country. The people are watching and very soon they will get the opportunity to decide on how they should deal with the “high” (no pun intended) and mighty.