PIRAPPANCODU SREEDHARAN MEMORIAL AWARD

PIRAPPANCODU SREEDHARAN MEMORIAL AWARD

V S Achuthanandan awarded Pirappancode Sreedharan NairMemorial Award to

Prasant Bhusan.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is aiming at a thorough transformation through electoral, judicial, administrative, and police reforms, AAP leader Prashant Bhushan has said.Addressing the gathering after receiving the Pirappancode Sreedharan Memorial Award, instituted by the Kerala Lawyers Club, here on Saturday, Mr. Bhushan termed ‘historic’ the formation of the AAP government in Delhi. “Today is a historic day. We have embarked on a journey, and our mission is to lead the country to fundamental change.” The focus is on changing all crony and capitalist dynamics and empowering the common man, he said.The common man should have a say in policy-making and the right to recall elected representatives. The present system did not guarantee a meaningful participation or rights to the vast majority of the people. Radical changes should be brought about in all spheres of the polity.

He said the most sinister impact of corruption was the creation of a corporate mafia, which had acquired complete control over the power structure in the country.The judicial system of the country had collapsed. Only two per cent of the population had access to the judicial system. The rest could not afford to engage lawyers. Even then, the delivery of justice was delayed due to the incompetence of judges and corruption in judiciary.This was mainly on account of the lack of a proper system in the appointment of judges, lack of judicial accountability, and all-pervasive corruption, he said.Mr. Bhushan said public money and resources were being looted. Policies were being framed to protect commercial interests. Tribal land was being occupied by corporate companies and environmental degradation had become rampant.Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan presented the award comprising a memento and a purse of Rs.1 lakh to Mr. Bhushan. The former Speaker M. Vijayakumar presided. Speaker G. Karthikeyan inaugurated the function.The former High Court judge M. Rajendra Babu and K.P. Jayachandran, president, Bar Association, Thiruvananthapuram, offered felicitation.Cherunniyor P. Sasidharan Nair introduced the award. Club president P.A. Ahamed gave the welcome address. Madavoor Mohan, secretary, proposed a vote of thanks.

Prof. John Kurakar