STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Justice Surya Kant of the Supreme Court on Saturday said that true progress cannot be measured by GDP or statistics, but by how far justice, dignity, and equal opportunity reach every corner of the country.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the East Zone Regional Conference of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in Guwahati, Justice Kant — who is also the Executive Chairman of NALSA — said the role of the authority is crucial in acting as a bridge between ‘law and life’ to ensure justice for the most marginalized.
“This gathering on the eve of the East Zone Regional Conference is more than an inauguration—it is a reaffirmation that our commitment to justice must reach where it has so far been slow to travel: across the valleys, tea gardens, and borderlands of India’s East,” he remarked.
Organized by the Assam State Legal Services Authority (ASLSA) in collaboration with the Gauhati High Court, the two-day conference brings together judges, officials, and legal experts from across the eastern and northeastern states to deliberate on ways to strengthen access to justice.
Lauding the organizers, Justice Kant said the conference reflects “a deep moral vision—one that recognises the historical inequities and structural barriers faced by the Eastern States of India.” He noted that while the region is rich in biodiversity, culture, and tradition, it also carries burdens that demand collective attention.
“Assam’s tea fills cups across the world, Bengal’s intellectual traditions have shaped our nation’s modernity, Bihar’s agriculture sustains millions, Odisha’s coastline connects us to global trade, and Jharkhand’s minerals power our industries. The Northeast, with its music, dances, and festivals, remains a cultural heartbeat of India,” he said.
However, he cautioned that “alongside abundance, stark vulnerabilities persist.” Citing the Multidimensional Poverty Index, he pointed out that several states in the region remain among the most deprived. “India’s Sustainable Development Goal Index shows progress, but much remains to be done for gender equality, access to justice, and the protection of human dignity,” he added.
Justice Kant identified key challenges in the region, including child marriage, drug and substance abuse, the plight of tribal communities and tea garden workers, and mental health concerns. He underscored that these issues require targeted, compassionate intervention.
“It is in this space of shared inequality that the National Legal Services Authority must step in as the bridge between law and life,” he said, adding that NALSA’s mission is to ensure that “law does not remain confined to books or courtrooms but is translated into everyday justice that touches the lives of the most marginalized.”
Outlining several key initiatives launched by NALSA, Justice Kant highlighted:
• DAWN (Drug Awareness and Wellness Navigation) – focusing on prevention and rehabilitation related to drug abuse;
• ASHA, a Standard Operating Procedure to tackle child marriage through education and vocational training;
• SAMVAD, aimed at providing legal access to tribal and denotified communities; and
• Legal Services to Workers in the Unorganized Sector, ensuring fair wages and workplace dignity.
He also announced the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025, a new scheme offering free legal aid to the families of defence personnel serving in difficult and remote border terrains, particularly in the Northeast.
Justice Kant described these initiatives as part of an “architecture of care” inspired by the African philosophy of Ubuntu — “I am, because you are”—and the Indian ideal of Manav Seva Hi Madhav Seva (service to humanity is service to God).
Emphasizing the need for stronger inter-agency coordination, he said technology must serve as a bridge to improve outreach and efficiency. “We must cultivate the courage to listen — to children, to workers, to tribes, to those battling despair — and shape justice not in our language, but in their sentiments,” he urged.
Justice Kant concluded his address with a powerful message: “The Eastern States are not mere frontiers of India’s geography; they are frontiers of India’s justice. To secure justice here is to strengthen the moral fabric of our great Republic.” The conference will continue with technical sessions focusing on aligning regional realities with national legal strategies, ensuring that justice and equality reach every part of the country.
Also Read: A Journey for Justice: Artist Walks Across Sivasagar in Memory of Zubeen Garg
Also Watch: