Constitution meant for every citizen: CJI NV Ramana

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Sunday said, that the Constitution is meant for every citizen. He was speaking to Hidayatullah National Law University in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, the CJI. “The sad reality is that the supreme document which defines the aspirations of modern independent India is confined to the knowledge of law students, legal practitioners, and a very small segment of the Indian population,” said the judge.

Justice Ramana also said that every individual must be made aware of their rights and duties. “The Constitution is meant for every citizen. . We have collective duty to promote the constitutional culture and raise awareness. It should be your endeavour to explain the Constitutional provisions in simpler terms and assimilate its ethos into the minds of the people. A constitutional republic shall only thrive when its citizens are aware of what their Constitution envisages,” he said. 

“Law graduates must inculcate analytical skills, critical evaluation and creative solutions to social and legal problems...most vulnerable are often the victims of human rights violations, either by the State or by anti-social elements. As young advocates, you are best placed to strongly oppose the same through legal action,” justice Ramana told students. 

“We need young talented minds to steer the movement in the right direction. Go to the people who cannot reach you. Understand the prevailing social issues, raise concerns and stand up for them. Educate people to secure their rights and provide legal guidance whenever you can,” added the CJI.

“The best lawyers are the ones who are well acquainted with history, politics, economics and other social and scientific developments around them...A lawyer needs to be an all-rounder, a leader and a changemaker,” he concluded.