Lighting of crackers at election meetings a disturbance?

• An incident at an SJB meeting in Colombo gives authorities something to think about

By Yohan Perera   
A recent incident which took place during an election meeting suggested that lighting crackers has become a disturbance. This incident seemed to have made the candidates contesting this year’s General Election to think that it is a disturbance.   
This incident occurred at a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) meeting in Colombo where crackers were lit for somewhat longer period than usual. Crackers were heard when SJB Colombo District candidate Harsha de Silva began his address during the meeting. Crackers were going off creating a great noise for few minutes since Dr. de Silva began his speech. The request from Dr. de Silva that lighting of crackers must stop was not taken into consideration. 

“It’s enough now,” Dr. de Silva was heard saying but the lighting continued. I don’t know whether they are doing it with anger” he was heard saying. However the lighting of crackers still continued despite repeated requests from Dr. de Silva to put a stop to it. One might see the funny side of the incident at the pocket meeting in Colombo but there have been instances where assassins shot their targets when the attention was drawn towards crackers. The assassin of late Minister Lalith Athulathmudali fired shots at him amidst crackers knowing very well that the attention of the crowds were drawn towards crackers. He managed to escape after firing amidst crackers. Therefore it is obvious that lighting crackers during an election rally is something to be taken up.