It is Our Bounden Duty To Speak Against Spreading Of Misinformation And Bigoted Ideas: Justice Shantanagoudar

Supreme Court judge and former Chief Justice of High Court of Kerala Justice Mohan Shantanagoudar highlighted the dangers of divisive ideas being promoted aggressively in society, and exhorted the need to rely on rationality and critical thinking to fight bigotry.He was speaking at a convocation ceremony at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi on Sunday."The current global political climate is governed by fear and hatred of the Other. The "Other" is anyone who is not the same as oneself on any perceived marker of identity such as nationality, religion, caste, ethnicity, skin colour, language, sex or gender, and so on."He added that in a country as diverse as India, there were many "fault lines" in society on basis of religion, caste, community, language etc, which are capable of being exploited for "political mileage"."Those who seek political mileage find it very easy to promote violence and unrest and divide the population by exploiting people's fear of being attacked and of being deprived of what is rightfully theirs. In a country as diverse as ours, naturally, there may exist many fault-lines which threaten to split our people apart, such as religious discord, casteism, regionalism, sexism and patriarchy, and so on and so forth", he said.The availability of mass media and internet to propagate misinformation is compounding the intensity of bigotry. "As the technology of mass communication continues to grow in leaps and bounds, it is our solemn responsibility to prevent and speak up against acts spreading any misinformation or idea that is bigoted and plays upon anyone's ignorance or vulnerability. In both the short-term and the long-run, bigotry and divisiveness deprive a nation of the peace and prosperity that can only come through unity amongst her people".Highlighting the need to root for rationality and critical thinking to fight divisive ideas, he said. "To be able to fight the divisive ideas being aggressively propagated nowadays, first of all, one needs to be firmly rooted in rationality and critical thinking, of which the cardinal rule is to never accept any idea or proposition at face value, but to determine its validity by critiquing and questioning it. Equally important, however, is a sense of inclusivity and empathy. It would do us all well to remember that what makes our country truly great is its beautiful composite culture, which is founded upon the principles of inclusion and integration. To go against these ideals is to destroy the very fabric out of which the rich tapestry of our nation is built"He cautioned law graduates against falling prey to culture of "consumerism" and "individualism", which pressurise people to take decisions based on monetary rewards than ethical considerations. He implored the students "to persevere towards fulfilling your role not only as ethical lawyers, but also your duties as citizens of this nation, which is something we often forget in our zeal to light for our rights and entitlements"."Classism, elitism and income equality are other battles that urgently need to be fought the world over, and in India as well. As I have mentioned before, those like us who have been blessed and privileged enough to receive quality education must use it for the benefit of all. In particular, as practicing advocates, it is essential to assist those who lack the resources to challenge either the State or the influential and mighty of society. Needless to say, providing free legal aid goes a long way in securing access to justice for a person of insufficient means. Remember that whenever you are called upon to provide free legal aid or undertake to do so voluntarily, discharge your role cheerfully, expeditiously and with due diligence. Your dedication to your work should not be determined by the amount of recompense you receive for it", he said.Read Full Text Of Speech.A very good morning to the esteemed Chancellor-the Hon'ble Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, the Vice-Chancellor, distinguished guests, teachers, staff, invitees, proud parents, dear students and budding advocates. I thank this esteemed institution for inviting me to be a part of this moment of celebration, and extend my heartiest congratulations to one and all, especially the young men and women who have worked hard over the last few years to reach this juncture.Of course, this is only the beginning of an entirely new chapter in your lives, which, I am sure, will be as challenging as it would be exciting. I have had the privilege of attending the convocation ceremony held at this institution in 2017, in my capacity as Chancellor, when I was serving as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala. I am happy to see the same exuberance and enthusiasm on your faces that I observed two years ago in the case of your seniors. I trust that you will remain as passionate as you are today, in the years to come. At the same time, all of you must forge your path ahead with wisdom, keeping in mind ...

It is Our Bounden Duty To Speak Against Spreading Of Misinformation And Bigoted Ideas: Justice Shantanagoudar

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