Asking the Bar Association to stand up for what is right & against what is wrong, CJI NV Ramana on Friday urged the lawyers to protect the judiciary from "motivated & targeted attacks".
Speaking at the Constitution Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Chief Justice of India said that the most important feature of the Indian Constitution is the fact that it provides a framework for debate.
Saying that the lawyers & judges are part of one large family, the CJI said, "I want to tell all of you, that you must assist judges & the institution. We are all ultimately part of one large family. Protect the institution from motivated & targeted attacks. Do not shy away from standing up for what is right, & against what is wrong."
November 26 is celebrated as Constitution Day since it was on this day in 1949 that the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution, which subsequently came into effect on January 26, 1950.
The CJI, in his speech, said, "It was 72 years ago today that the text which has come to define us, as a people & a nation, was adopted. I pay my humble respects to all the freedom fighters & members of the Constituent Assembly who have enabled all of us to stand here today. I am happy to be a part of the legal community, which has given so much to the freedom struggle & played such an integral role in the drafting of the Constitution."
Justice Ramana asked the lawyers on Constitution Day to take a pledge to propagate the ideas that form the basis of the Constitution -- freedom, equality & justice -- in all of its facets for all people.
None can forget the contributions of lawyers such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Patel & Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, whose dedication & sacrifices for the cause of the people are legendary, the CJI said.
"All of us here are successors of that glorious legacy. While celebrating this day & paying homage to our freedom fighters & the framers of our Constitution, I think it is also important for all of us to celebrate the citizenry of independent India. It is their actions over the past 12 decades- the litigants, lawyers, judges, legislators, businesspersons, workers & many more that have breathed life into what might otherwise have been just another bare document," CJI added.
The Constitution of today, built upon the foundations laid by the framers, is a richer & more complex document than what it was when it was adopted in 1949, the CJI said.
"This is a result of the dialogue that took place both inside &
outside the Courtroom, resulting in novel & unique interpretations,"
he said.
Saying that the most important feature of the Indian Constitution is the
fact that it provides a framework for debate, he emphasized that it is
through such debate & discussion that the nation ultimately
progresses, evolves, & achieves higher levels of welfare for the
people.
"You are following in the footsteps of the great men & women who created the vision document of this nation & are also direct participants in the redefining of that vision. As people with intimate knowledge of the Constitution and the laws, it is also your responsibility to educate the rest of the citizenry about the role that they play in society. The history, present, & future of this nation lie on your shoulders. This is a heavy, if not the heaviest, a burden to bear."
"This profession is called a noble profession for a reason. It demands expertise, experience, & commitment, like any other profession. But in addition to the above, it also requires integrity, knowledge of social issues, social responsibility, & civic virtue. You must be leaders & mentors in society. Take an active role in lending your hand to those in need," the CJI said.
The CJI ended his speech with a quote from Dr BR Ambedkar- "Men are mortal. So are ideas. An idea needs propagation, as much as a plant needs water. Otherwise, both will wither & die."
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(With input from news agency language)
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