Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day on Thursday, reflected on India’s decision in 1950 to embrace the “uncertainties of freedom”, and emphasised the importance of liberty. Speaking at an Independence Day event in New Delhi, the Chief Justice cited the current situation in Bangladesh as a reminder of the value of liberty.
“We chose in 1950, the uncertainty of freedom, and what is happening today, say, in Bangladesh is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us. It is very easy to take freedom and liberty for granted but it is important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are,” Chandrachud said.
The CJI further stressed that while it’s easy to take freedom and liberty for granted, it is “important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are.”
On the occasion, Chandrachud also remembered the lawyers who gave up their legal practices and joined the freedom struggle, including Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Govind Vallabh Pant, Devi Prasad Khaitan, Sir Syed Mohammed Saadullah among so many others. "They were instrumental not only in achieving freedom for India but also in establishing a fiercely independent judiciary," he said.
Chandrachud noted that Independence Day is a reminder of duties that citizens need to discharge towards each other and the nation in realizing all the values of the Constitution. "This day we honour the commitment of who lives this life to make it greater and who is working to make it greater. We all speak about the Constitution in the backdrop of the colonial era and what our country suffered," he said.
Reflecting on his legal career as a judge, The Chief Justice noted that the work of the courts mirrors the struggles of ordinary Indians as they navigate the complexities of their daily lives. “As a judge for the past 24 years, I can keep my hand in my heart and say that the work of the courts reflects the struggles of ordinary Indians navigating the rough and tumble of their daily lives. The Supreme Court of India sees throngs of litigants from villages and metropolitan cities of all regions, castes, genders and religions seeking justice. The legal community allows the court to do justice to these citizens in those small a measure,” the CJI noted
He also asserted that at the forefront of the citizens and the bar, a modern judiciary requires an accessible and inclusive infrastructure. "The ease of lawyers to navigate the court not only allows them to assist the court with ease and efficiency but also for them to feel a sense of responsibility towards the institution of the judiciary as its custodian in the last six months," he said.