NEW DELHI, June 15:Voicing concern over “repeated failure” to ensure safety and security of women and children, President Pranab Mukherjee today said that there is a need for resetting the moral compass and the legal fraternity must be the vanguard of the battle for women’s rights.
“Recent incidents of brutal assault and child rape in Delhi have shaken our society’s collective conscience. They highlight the urgency with which we need to introspect at the erosion of values and our repeated failure to ensure safety and security of our women and children. There is need for us in India to reset our moral compass,” Mukherjee said.
The President was speaking at the first convocation held at National Law University, Delhi (NLUD) where Justice Dalveer Bhandari, currently a judge in the International Court of Justice, was conferred with the degree of LLD (Honoris Causa).
Mukherjee, who awarded gold medals to 22 meritorious law students of the varsity, said, “the legal fraternity, especially students of law, must be the vanguard of the battle for women’s security, rights and welfare” and that “we must collectively ensure the dignity and respect for women”.
He also said that instead of merely talking about social issues of corruption, sexual violence, gender discrimination, etc, people should work towards addressing these concerns.
“Many of us often ask of others what we are unwilling to do ourselves. People furious about corruption still remain willing to bribe to expedite their own work. While demanding strict laws against sexual violence and gender discrimination publicly, there are those who continue to perpetuate the same gender discrimination.
“If you are asked to pay a bribe, have the courage to refuse. If you are asked to support violence, corruption or oppression, have the courage to say no,” Mukherjee further said, adding that, “Be the change you want to see in the world – is a wisdom that came from Mahatma Gandhi and I appeal to you to assimilate this principle into your daily life”.
Mukherjee said that people will have to make difficult choices if they want to “break an unjust system” and that the first step will have to be taken by the lawyers.
Recounting the hardships he underwent to obtain an education, by “walking three miles and wading through a stream to go to school”, the President exhorted the young law graduates and post graduates who were awarded their degrees today to “be the person who puts in the effort to bring about change and not the one who complains and waits for others to act.”
“We need an army of smart, committed and idealistic people to give voice to the voiceless and produce tangible change in our society. I hope all of you gathered here will take up legal aid for the poor as a life long commitment and do your utmost to draw attention to problems of disempowered.
“However, do not do this demanding or expecting gratitude. Do it as your duty, your contribution to a more equal world and a motherland you are proud of – an India which has made you what you are today,” he said.
The President also said that lawyers are given a special status in this country because society recognises the dunctions they perform and thus “they must lead the change against criminality, poverty, domestic violence, caste discrimination and other forms of exploitation”. (PTI)
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