Southern States - Kerala   

Centre to extend assistance for legal infrastructure development

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JUNE 8. The Union Minister of State for Law, P. C. Thomas, said here on Sunday that the Central Government was willing to extend considerable assistance to the State for development of legal infrastructure.

Addressing a `Meet-the-Press' programme organised by the Kesari Journalists Trust here, the Minister said that up to 50 per cent grant could be provided for development of basic facilities such as buildings and library.

Mr. Thomas said that the Kerala High Court and the Government should work together to receive the assistance. The Centre had taken the initiative in the matter by convening a conference of State Government and Court representatives on July 2.

Proposals such as air conditioning of the High Court buildings, construction of Advocates' Chambers and library were under consideration. A Bench of the High Court could be set up in Thiruvananthapuram if the court took the initiative.

He said that the Centre had sanctioned 37 fast track courts to the State. Of these, 27 had already been set up and five were being established. Though the Centre was willing to finance five more, the High Court had indicated that this might not be needed. Kerala had about two lakh cases pending disposal in various courts and this was one of the highest in the country.

Mr. Thomas said that he could not say for sure whether his induction into the Union Ministry would help the BJP to open an account in the Assembly or Parliament elections in Kerala.

He felt that a CBI inquiry into the Marad incident would be better and proper, as involvement of people belonging to the ruling front had been alleged.

He said that he had made no attempts to form a third front in Kerala. He had only said that there would be changes in the political scene.

Some changes were already taking place at the level of parties. However, he was not glad about increasing divisions in the Kerala Congress.

Certain personal interests did play a role in such developments.

He said that talks had taken place before the Assembly elections for the merger of Kerala Congress(M) and Kerala Congress(J).

"We had believed that Kerala Congress(J) would soon join us. However, that did not happen.''

He recalled that he had not quit Kerala Congress(M). He had been pushed out without any fundamental reason.

The real reason was extraneous to his functioning in the party. This should be obvious to anyone who travels by car across Kerala, he said when asked whether he was expelled for promotion of party leader, K. M. Mani's son, Jose K. Mani.

"I have not tried to split the party. I consider frequent splits in the Kerala Congress as a disgrace; not a sign of growth.''

He said that his visit to various leaders in the State after his assumption of office was not on communal lines.

He had talked to or visited leaders from both the ruling and Opposition fronts before or after assumption of office and their comments were encouraging.

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