No insecurity in any section of society: Justice Kurian

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 19

Justice Kurian Joseph, Supreme Court Judge, today said as long as there was an independent judiciary, there was no threat to anyone from the so-called fundamentalists and no feeling of insecurity among any section of society.

Delivering a lecture as part of the series on “Different Facets of Indian Constitution” at the High Court her, he said secularism was the “tilak” of the Constitution of India. “Hinduism is a way of life which encompasses and endorses all religions and Bharat has welcomed and embraced every religion,” he said. The lecture was organised by the HP State Legal Services Authority.

“Irrespective of the fact that a majority population practises Hinduism, Bharat has welcomed all religions and given two religions, Buddhism and Jainism, to the world,” he said. “The Hinduism has always protected the minorities and safeguarded all other faiths and, as responsible citizens, each one of us must stand up against all such forces who try to divide India,” said he.

Justice Kurian Joseph said the beauty of society was that it had never been parochial and always respected the right to freedom of speech and expression. He added that the Constitution recognised the role of religion in moulding the character of a person and making him a civil person who was not uncouth or barbaric.

“My Bible, as an Indian citizen, is the Constitution,” he said. The so-called talk of feeling of insecurity among a section of society was partly created by the media. “If we keep thinking there is insecurity, it will only grow. So there is no reason for anyone to think that there is insecurity in the minds of any section,” he said.

He also stressed the need for a debate on morality in the media. “It is difficult to be a conscientious journalist these days just the way it is difficult to be an independent judge. It is a big struggle,” he said. Replying to a query on the moral education in institutions, Justice Kurian Joseph said he was very much in favour of it being part of curriculum, but it had to be secular morality.

He also inaugurated the six-storeyed complex of Lawyers’ Chambers for 280 advocates adjacent to the High Court. Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol said Justice Kurian Joseph, who had remained the Chief Justice in Himachal for three years, always stressed that justice must be guided by mercy. “You always motivated everyone to be guided by compassion and empathy and spare a thought for the downtrodden and underprivileged,” said Justice Karol.

He said the HP State Legal Services Authority had undertaken several programmes like afforestation and pre-litigation mediation.