New Delhi, June 1
Former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Ranjit Singh Narula, who carved out a niche for himself as crusader against violation of human rights, specially during the worst period of militancy in Punjab, died here today after a brief illness. He was 90.
Justice Narula breathed his last around noon today. He is survived by three sons, three daughters and grand children. His cremation will take place at the Lodhi electrical crematorium at noon tomorrow, family sources said.
Know for his judicial firmness and high integrity, Justice Narula in his family and social life was altogether a different person --- a soft spoken thorough gentleman --- with whom the young, the old and children would like to interact.
After relinquishing the high office of Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1977, the position he held with distinction for three years, he was involved in various important social activities. He especially engaged himself in the Sikh affairs for the betterment of the community, which earned him a place of respect among all as he was described as modern day “legend of Sikh affairs”.
As the unfortunate chapter of militancy unfolded in Punjab after 1989, he tirelessly fought for protection of the human rights and took up the cause of illegal detentions of hundreds of youth by authorities under TADA.
Besides, he took up the cause of thousands of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in the aftermath of the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her security guards and fought for providing justice to the families of nearly 3,000 persons massacred in the Capital in one of the worst ever violence in post-independence history.
Considering his contribution in
espousing the cause of human rights, the Delhi Government under Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, appointed him Chairman of a Commission to inquire into the anti-Sikh riots after justice was not in sight for them.
He was also a member of National Commission of Minorities’ Study Group in 1999, that had proposed amendment in the 1925 Sikh Gurdwara Act.
Recipient of various honours and award for his contributions to the social cause, he was bestowed with the Order of Nishan-e-Khalsa, a rare honour to any Sikh, on the occasion of the Tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa, by the Punjab Government.
He also had been associated with various education trusts, religious and cultural institutes and was a member of the World Association of Judges since 1970 and Chairman of the Punjab branch of the International Commission of Jurists.
Though Justice Narula was deeply involved in various Sikh Affairs, he was a secularist to the core and was revered for his secular approach in the country and abroad while dealing with even the most complex religious issues.
To spread the message of brotherhood among people of various communities and education was his main moto in life and this was the reason that he promoted various religious institutions. He established the Ranjit Singh Narula Trust, which provides scholarships to students and medical aid to people from poor families. During the past few years he had confined his activities only to humane and social causes.
He was pained over denial of justice to victims of anti-Sikh riots even after 20 years of the incident, which forced him to write a forceful article some years ago on the issue, in which he said it was the duty of every civilised state to ensure justice to its citizens. “If the State fails to dispense justice, it is not correct to call it a civil State,” he had written.
He was also a member of the ’84 Carnage Justice Committee” of eminent citizens that took up the cases of thousands of riot victims before the Nanavati Commission, which was the latest among the various panels that probed the violence.
