Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan

Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan expressed full support for the Judicial Organization (Amendment) Bill, endorsing its aim to impose harsher penalties on drug-related offences. He cited recent violent incidents, including a courthouse shooting and the murder of a lawyer and his wife linked to drug traffickers, as evidence of the severity of the drug problem and the need for stronger legislative measures. He also called for complementary approaches including religious and moral education, strengthened parental responsibility, and improved economic opportunities to reduce vulnerability to drug involvement. Drawing on examples from Muslim-majority countries where severe punishments are said to deter drug crimes, he argued that appropriately stringent penalties in Sri Lanka would help curb associated crimes such as robbery, abuse, and rape.

## Summary Dr. Radhakrishnan addressed four issues during his speech. First, he expressed conditional support for the Real Estate Practitioners Bill while calling for amendments to tackle fraudulent practices in the sector. Second, he welcomed the increase in estate workers' daily wages to Rs. 1,750 but cautioned against companies offsetting the raise by increasing plucking norms, demanded disbursement by February 10, and called for trade union inclusion as a third party in wage agreements. Third, he raised concerns about labour rights violations at Horana Plantations PLC, where workers have been suspended without charge sheets, and urged the Minister to resolve an ongoing satyagraha promptly. Finally, he defended the commemoration of the late Saumyamoorthy Thondaman and requested further development of a war memorial in Nuwara Eliya honouring 34 fighters.

Hon. (Dr.) V. S. Radhakrishnan raised an urgent matter directly with the Minister of Health regarding an incident at Glencairn Hospital, in which three individuals allegedly sexually abused the body of a deceased 23-year-old woman in the hospital mortuary. He called on the Minister to take immediate action, including referring the perpetrators to Police and prosecution. The speaker framed the incident as a grave concern about the safety and dignity of women, even in death.

There is insufficient content in this speech to produce a meaningful summary. The speaker, Hon. (Dr.) V. S. Radhakrishnan, rose to raise a point of order on 4 March 2026, but no further substantive content was provided beyond that procedural declaration.