It was ‘Appochchi mala!’ for them!

A gabby Blue party purohita from Uva distributed irrigation water pumps among the poor peasants in a certain village in his electorate several months ago.  And the thankful peasants happily carried these water pumps straight to their respective farms.

A few days after the last May Day, the purohita visited this village with a truck tailing his car, and sent word to all peasants to see him with the water pumps given to them.

When the peasants gathered with the water pumps, the purohita addressed them in his typical scolding tone: “I sent a bus to this village last May Day for you all to attend our rally in Colombo. And I learnt only yesterday that none of you had come to Colombo in the bus I sent to your village. I have decided to present these water pumps to farmers in another village, who always readily support us. Now you all may get back leaving behind the water pumps you have brought here!”  

The poor farmers perhaps, prompted by a sense of grim humour were heard shouting in unison: “Appochchi Mala! Appochchi Mala!” while returning home sans the water pumps, they say.