CJI urges youth to give up substance abuse, shun disillusionment

Hyderabad, Dec 19 (IANS) Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Sunday urged the youth to disassociate themselves from substance abuse as he noted that a vibrant nation is built upon the health and energy of its youth.

Addressing the 18th annual convocation of NALSAR University of Law here, he voiced concern over the growing number of youth falling prey to intoxicants.

"I am alarmed at the reports of an increased number of youth falling prey to intoxicants. I would urge the youth of today, to disassociate themselves from substance abuse. Your mental and physical health is in your hands," he said.

The CJI noted that students are known for their readiness to fight for all the right causes because their thoughts are pure and honest. He said they should be in the forefront to question injustice. "We need leaders for tomorrow to rise from these grounds."

He pointed out that the Constitution of India was framed as a radical document which bridged the gap between the aspirations of the past and expectations of the future.

"But it shall thrive only when the young citizens honour its principles with conviction. Ethos of the democratic republic of India is based on the people's commitment to the welfarist constitution of India. This commitment must be nurtured at an early age by creating social consciousness and inculcating a culture of lawfulness."

The CJI said a mark of a great lawyer is clarity of thoughts, command over the language and skills to communicate. A successful practitioner of law must also be well versed with literature, philosophy, history, economics and politics of the land. After all, the aim of law is to unravel the truth and to do justice, he said.

"There is nothing more difficult in the world than to discover the truth. Because it cannot be discovered by merely looking at one dimension. It has many facets. It requires trained minds to analyse all aspects of it and reach a logical conclusion. The greatness of a lawyer or judge lies in their ability to discover the ultimate truth, and thus secure justice accordingly."

Chief Justice Ramana said students cannot afford to be disillusioned. "It is imperative for you to be a part of current debates. Do not stop at just raising questions. Also ask yourself what the remedy can be. Being the future of the nation, you must have a clear vision. Being the guardians of freedom, justice, equality and ethics, you cannot allow narrow and partisan views to dominate the nation's thought," he said.

He noted that very few students who graduate from National Law Schools are interested in joining litigation or taking up public causes, let alone practice at the district level.

"Further, it seems that there is a fascination to only practice before the Supreme Court and High Court while completely ignoring the importance of trial courts. To succeed at trial advocacy, one requires a separate skill-set, wherein the requirement of presence of mind and intellectual inputs is immense. Moreover, considering the highest pendency before the trial courts, there is both a demand and the need for specialised lawyers. I urge you all to consider gaining experience at trial court level before moving on to practice at higher forums such as High Courts and the Supreme Court."

He told the graduates that it is only when they work at the grassroot level, can they understand the rigours of law on the common man.

"But, let me caution you, the path will not be filled with roses. The courtrooms are nothing like ones you see in a movie or a moot court hall. It will be cramped, dingy and the judge may not even have a fan. You might feel like an alien in this system. I know it is not easy, but I want all of you to remember that determination and persistence are the two mantras for success."

The CJI was all praise for Vice Chancellor Prof. Faizan Mustafa saying he is an energetic leader who has continued the legacy of this University and has ensured the continuation of the good reputation this University has across the globe.

He noted that NALSAR is now known for its research centres and academic rigours which has produced many bright lawyers and academicians. He recalled this huge university started functioning from a small bungalow in Barkatpura and that he was part of a collective endeavour to set up a world class law university in Hyderabad along the lines of National Law School, Bangalore.