Don't destroy, weaken the system but transform it: CJI
New Delhi, Aug 15 : Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Wednesday said it was easy to criticise, attack and destroy a system but instead an endeavour should be made to transform and reform it by transcending personal ambitions or grievances.
"To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy (but) very difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend one's personal ambitions or grievances", the Chief Justice said.
"There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution," but "I and you (lawyer community) together will refuse to succumb," Misra said in an apparent reference to discordant voices coming from within the top judiciary and outside.
He called for the "constructive steps to be taken with a positive mindset of reforms, no matter how small they are and a concrete reform must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and compassion. It has to be productive, instead of being counter-productive."
Mishra said this while speaking at the Independence Day function organised in the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Referring to the mention of "polity of identity" in Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's speech at the event, Chief Justice Misra said: "I must say I am happy the Law Minister of India has expressed concern about the identity of the citizens. I only like to add that this identity has to be founded on the identity of humanness which is fundamentally, constitutionally legitimate."
"How far we expand this idea only the future will tell. And why I say so all of you are absolutely aware."
Misra also disagreed with Prasad that people, wherever they go in India, should visit the freedom fighters in recognition of their contribution to the freedom struggle and praise them.
"I do not deny that each citizen during that period, in his own or her own way fought for the freedom of country. The Law Minister says that when we go to some place in India we must visit them and praise them. I disagree. People who fought for the country did not fight for their praise. They did not even bother about you. They fought because they fought for the country", Chief Justice Misra told the gathering comprising of sitting and former judges of the apex court, senior lawyers including Fali Nariman and Soli Sorabjee and others.
To fight for one's own country, own civilisation and all the rights, the Chief Justice said is possibly a tribute to them.
Prasad called for striking a healthy balance between the three organs of the state saying that the governance of the country must be left to the elected representatives as governance and accountability go together.
The Law Minister while recalling the trauma of partition, said that despite large-scale destruction and dislocations, India chose not to be theocratic with the State having no religion or faith.
This he described as a "general larger blueprint of India".
Referring to the different phases of development over the last seven decades, the Law Minister said initially it was a "polity of want, then came polity of identity and now we have polity of aspiration and hope".
Speaking on the occasion, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal pointed to the overcrowding of the court rooms and corridors. He called for joint efforts by the top court, the Law Ministry and the Supreme Court Bar Association to address the problem.
Making a distinction on how differently independence means to the state and the people, Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh said "Independence is a state of mind and not a conferment of a status."
He said what was important was how people can serve their country.
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Congress keeps singing to Pakistan's tune, compromising nation's security: Modi
Barpeta/Hojai/ Dibrugarh (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that while his government carried out 'Operation Sindoor', the Congress continued to "sing to the tune of" Pakistan.
Addressing back-to-back election rallies in Barpeta, Hojai and Dibrugarh in Assam, Modi also accused the Congress of taking a myopic view on development, while asserting that the BJP focuses on long-term growth.
"The party always took short-term measures so that they could indulge in corruption. But the BJP looks far ahead while taking decisions for all-around development of all sections of society," he said.
The PM alleged that during the 2016 surgical strikes or the 2025 'Operation Sindoor', the Congress has always sung to Pakistan's tune, giving importance to their agenda.
"This Pakistan connection always weighs heavily on the country, and we can never allow that," he said.
Modi also accused the Congress of neglecting the Army by refusing to implement the 'One Rank, One Pension' for the veterans for decades.
"But the BJP government ensured that justice was done to those who protect the nation by giving them this benefit," he said, adding that so far, Rs 1.24 lakh crore has been disbursed to the bank accounts of veterans.
Modi accused the Gandhi family of indulging in dynastic politics and corruption.
"The first family of Congress is the most corrupt in the country, indulging in scams of huge proportions and is currently out on bail. The Congress can do only two things -- tell lies and indulge in corruption," he alleged.
In an apparent swipe at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's "mohabbat ki dukaan" pitch, Modi said the Congress represents "mithya ki dukaan" (shop of lies) and "apmaan" (insult).
"There is another family in Assam... and both are making false promises ahead of the polls," he said, in an apparent reference to Gandhi's deputy in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, who is also the president of the party's state unit.
The PM also accused the Gandhi family of occupying land in prime locations of Delhi.
"The Congress alleges that the BJP acquires land from people, but they don't talk about the prime lands in Delhi with them in the name of National Herald, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and others," he said.
Modi said the BJP acquired land for the state's development, which has benefited all sections of society.
"They are now talking about land as it (land) has shifted from beneath their feet," he claimed.
Referring to the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) at Moran, the PM said that earlier, the road conditions were such that even vehicles had difficulty in plying, but now fighter jets can land on a highway in Assam.
Modi alleged that the Congress adopted a stepmotherly attitude towards the state and neglected Upper Assam and the Barak Valley.
"The Congress did nothing for the tea garden workers, but the BJP government gave them land rights for their homes," he claimed.
"During my last visit to Dibrugarh, I had interacted with women tea garden workers, but to insult me, they made fun of their dress and culture," he alleged.
The PM alleged Congress only helped infiltrators for vote bank politics, and allowed them to settle on the land belonging to 'sattras', temples, tribal communities, besides the Kaziranga National Park.
"It is the BJP that is freeing these lands from the encroachers and also giving land rights to the indigenous people of Assam," he said.
Asserting that people's aspirations are the BJP's priority, Modi said, "The Congress is in power in Himachal, Karnataka and Telangana; they made tall promises before the polls, but what have they done so far?"
Referring to the West Asia conflict, Modi said the government is working to shield citizens, especially the poor, middle class and farmers, from its impact.
"It has been the BJP's priority since the beginning to focus on minimising their sufferings, and this will continue," he said.
Modi said peace was re-established in Assam after a lot of sacrifices, and this has led to the state's development under the BJP rule.
"To continue development, it is necessary to keep the Congress out," he claimed.
Modi said the 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament would be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
"A special session of Parliament has been convened on April 16 to discuss the issue with all parties and take this forward. But some people are trying to spread rumours even about this," he said.
"All states in the country will benefit from this. They have waited 40 years for this, and women in Assam should urge all parties to ensure the bill's passage," he said.
Listing the various works done by his government, Modi said the minimum support price for paddy has increased from Rs 1,300 per quintal in 2013 to Rs 2,370 per quintal at present.
"Farmers’ income is increasing, and the BJP government is transferring money directly to their bank accounts, bypassing middlemen," he said, noting that Assam's famed 'Joha' rice is now being exported to European countries.
Polling for the 126 assembly constituencies in Assam will be held on April 9, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.
