'There is no law to take the law in your own hands'

 FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIMAPUR, March 20: Retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice HK Sema, said the March 5 lynching incident in Dimapur was a blatant violation of Article 21 of the Constitution and complete negation of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Justice Sema said in a democracy, there are crimil and civil procedures and laws to deal with any case or crime. “There is no law to take the law in your own hands. The March 5 incident is against Christian ethics and a complete negation of what Jesus preached”, he said.

Alluding to an incident in the book of John where Jesus rebukes a crowd ready to stone to death a woman taken in adultery by saying “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”, the retired judge said the March 5 incident is also a blatant violation of Article 21, which states that “No person shall be deprived of his life or persol liberty except according to the procedure established by law.”

The legal lumiry was speaking at the iugural programme of the 3-day training and sensitization of lawyers empanelled with legal services authorities of eight states of North East Region including Sikkim, which got underway at Hotel Acacia, Friday.

Sema said human rights is a very important subject which all lawyers should be well versed with. He said terrorism is a powerful enemy of human rights as terrorism takes away one of the most fundamental of human rights – the right to live.

“Who are we to take away the lives of other human beings?” Justice Sema asked. Sharing his vast experience as a legal lumiry and defender of human rights, Justice Sema who was also former chairman of Uttar Praadesh Human Rights Commission, advised the young lawyers to go to remote areas and villages to represent the “voice of the voiceless and speechless.”

He said the basic welfare schemes and amenities of the government including electricity, health care services, water, shelter and essential commodities which are denied to villagers are also violation of human rights.

He also said lawyers should not be primarily concerned about their fees but sometimes extend their services free of cost to the poor and needy and added that in the past he had also taken up cases of the needy free of cost.

 “I have reached the top in my profession not because of the fees of the rich but because of the prayers of the poor and needy,” the retired Supreme Court Judge said.

He further urged the upcoming lawyers to adopt professiol ethics and pursue their profession with missiory zeal,                                                         

Deputy commissioner, Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome, who also addressed the iugural programme, said that though the Fundamental Right and Directive Principles guarantee fair play and justice to all citizens, yet the Fundamental Rights have seen some erosion over the years.

The DC said it is the collective responsibility of the law enforcing agencies and the legal fraternity to secure opportunity of justice to all section of people.

Stating that on many occasions, the weaker section has been deprived of access to justice, Yhome called upon all to rededicate themselves to the cause of justice for every citizen, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

Director, Legal Cell for Human Rights, Guwahati, Ravi Sagar, in his introductory note the sensitization programme is visualized to strengthen the weakest and vulnerable section of society. He also said it a constitutiol mandate to provide legal aid and justice to the poor and needy.

Earlier, District & Session Judge Dimapur felicitated the guest speakers. Programme coorditor, Ms Felcita D’ Souza proposed vote of thanks.