THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The verdict on Munnar demolitions has sent a wrong message that the interests of land encroachers will be safeguarded, opined KPCC president V M Sudheeran, while also underscoring that the credibility of court judgments is very important. “I’m not going into the technicalities of the judgment. But the message which had gone out of it was wrong,’’ he said.
Responding to mediapersons’ query, pointing out the remarks passed by Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan against the HC Chief Justice in the wake of the judgment asking the government to return the earlier holdings of a few resort owners and pay compensation for razed structures in the tourist hub, Sudheeran said he does not want to enter into the technical aspects of the ruling. ‘’When one comments on a court order, propriety should be there,’’ he quipped. He said that the high-level meeting of office-bearers of the KPCC, feeder organisations and others held here on Thursday approved the government’s stand on the court verdict, which was aired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, to explore all possible legal steps to protect the interests of the state. He said that the meet had also welcomed the statement of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that the lottery mafia will not be allowed to set its foot in the state once again.
“If necessary, an all-party meet itself should be convened at the instance of the government to counter the possible negative fallout in the lottery case, after the Supreme Court verdict. Such a move will be appropriate, since it is felt that all political parties in the state are opposed to the lottery mafia,’’ the KPCC president said. On allegations and charges of corruption with regard to the Plus Two Schools and Plus One batches’ sanctioning, Sudheeran preferred to be evasive.
On Speaker G Karthikeyan’s plans to step down and involve in active politics, Sudheeran said that as a former Speaker, he would not comment on it in the open and thereby kick start a debate. Sudheeran clarified that no discussion cropped up on the bar licence issue or Cabinet reshuffle plans, though the meet was attended by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, UDF convenor P P Thankachan, among others.
Taking a dig at the State Human Rights Commission for its ruling that bars with two star facilities should be opened, he said what the state is discussing widely at present is whether the human rights of liquor venders is an issue worth such an intervention.