CM says judiciary supporting anti poor globalisation

Kochi, Dec 23 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said forces of globalisation were working against the interests of the poor and the marginalised and even the judiciary was supporting such forces.

Inaugurating the valedictory session of the seventh national conference of the Indian Association of Lawyers and a seminar on 'Constitution, Globalisation and the Role of Lawyers' here, Mr Achuthanandan said globalisation was beginning to affect all walks of life.

The employers were assuming the right to retrench employees and the poor were being marginalised in the centres of education.

''Unfortunately, what the common man experiences is a stand that supports the anti-peasant philosophy of globalisation from the part of the judiciary,'' he said.

Cautioning lawyers against such a trend, he exhorted them to stand on the side of the common man.

Describing the judiciary as the prime pillar of democracy, he said it was the responsibility of the judiciary to closely watch whether the legislature and the executive were performing their duties properly. ''The role of the judiciary in ensuring social justice is of prime importance,'' he added.

Stating that the people expected the judiciary to discharge its functions efficiently and without corruption, Mr Achuthanandan said justice would be denied if cases were not disposed off in a reasonable time frame.

Some instances had been reported recently about corruption in the judiciary and lawyers should fight against this evil, he added.

Former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Rajendar Sachar, delivering the keynote address, said globalisation has led to increasing inequality in the world. ''Ten per cent of the world's population controls 85 per cent of the resources. Globalisation is the biggest danger to society,'' he added.

Warning against the upcoming round of WTO negotiations at Doha, he said India will face a ''very dangerous situation'' there. The country would again be under pressure to open its markets to agricultural commodities, which would be disastrous as 60 to 70 per cent of the population was dependant on agriculture.

Stating that people were beginning to rely too much on courts on every issue, he said courts could not be a substitute for public participation and people's action. ''To depend too much on the courts is to assert the weakness of public action,'' he added.

Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Vijendar Jain, presided over the function.

UNI ARC VV AK MIR RN2053