Ex-HC judge: There is a need to uphold equality, constitutional values

Chandra Prabhu | NT

Bengaluru: Love is a powerful weapon; it has the capacity to convert bitter ness into sweetness, vinegar into wine, and a plate of copper into gold. It even has the power to transform a king into a servant.

As someone who has been bedazzled by it, I stand before you," said Nagamohan Das, former justice of the Karnataka High Court, quoting the medieval poet Jalaluddin Rumi.

"When religion is undemocratised, it leads to fundamentalism. This, in turn, becomes entangled with politics," explained Nagamohan Das, providing an example of a king who used religious fundamentals to maintain power in his kingdom.

"This leads to communalism," he added. The former justice of the Karnataka High Court delivered an insightful talk at an event hosted by the All India Payam-E-Insaniyat Forum (AIPIF) on the message of humanity, held in the Bengaluru Palace on Saturday.

In his half-hour talk, Das addressed the negative aspects of religion. The mixing of religion with politics has not only poisoned minds but also the lives of different communities.

"Unfortunately, in India, religion has permeated every aspect of our lives, including education, literature, police, defense, and the judiciary," he said.

He then discussed the wars and conflicts between communities and countries that have destroyed villages and claimed millions of lives.

"85 years after World War II ended, nothing has changed," he remarked. "International law, including the United Nations (UN), has failed to control the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, citing various reasons."

He also lamented how trillions of dollars are being spent by superpowers on defense, citing India's budget allocation of 5 lakh 25 crores.

"People are living in fear of nuclear and neutron bombs," he added.

Regarding peace, Das stated, "We cannot achieve peace without eradicating poverty, hunger, unemployment, and without providing safety and security to every citizen in the country. We must work together to achieve this peace."

With his background as a judge in the high court, Nagamohan Das passionately defended the constitution, saying, "We are losing our constitutional values. People are being charged with sedition, defamation, and thrown in jail. The use of courts has decreased. Many people in the country do not understand the principles of Equality, Fraternity, and Liberty outlined in the preamble of our constitution."

He also criticized the centralization of power by the central government, saying, "Ideas like 'one country, one language, one election' need to be debated. Our rights need to be protected." Das also spoke about the growing disparity in the population.

"The upper castes are the upper class, and the lower castes are the lower class. The upper class represents only 10 percent of the population but controls over 80 percent of the wealth."

He also pointed out inequality in the appointment of judges, expressing regret: "In the last five years, out of 602 High Court judges, over 72 percent are from the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) and the General Category, with only nine from the Scheduled Tribes and 19 from the Scheduled Castes."

Das concluded his talk by urging a debate on and a deeper understanding of the ideas of Equality, Fraternity, and Liberty. Ajai Kumar Singh, Former Director General of Police, also delivered a speech.

His focus was on human values such as empathy, cooperation, and interdependence. He criticized the rising consumerism and the exploitation of nature.

While he referred to religion as a "sublime idea," he also critiqued the creation of organized religion with "vested interests."

Finally, he encouraged the audience to embrace open-mindedness and the understanding of differences. Maulana Syed Bilal Hasani Nadvi, the General Secretary of the AIPIF, also delivered a few words.

He mentioned that society is not serving its purpose and people have become selfish. "Families are also getting involved in these clashes, which is not a good thing. We need to start thinking about the larger home, which is our country."

He stressed the importance of the media in searching for and reporting the truth. "The biggest challenge for us is to preserve our historical legacy in this decaying society."

The AIPIF is the brainchild of Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Nadvi, a prominent scholar. The organization aims to foster a sense of brotherhood irrespective of one's caste, community, race, and gender.

They conduct various welfare activities, including medical camps and food distribution camps.