Prez Murmu backs network of female advocates, law students to prevent crimes against women

Hyderabad, Sep 28 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday urged the NALSAR University of Law here, including its alumni, to enlist the support of all stakeholders and help in setting up a nation-wide network of women advocates and law students to make efforts to prevent atrocities against women.

The President, who attended the 21st annual convocation of NALSAR University of Law, said, "the network will work with the mandate to make concerted efforts to prevent atrocities against women and deal with cases of such atrocities".

She expressed confidence that the graduating students would utilise their education in NALSAR as an effective instrument of social justice and development.

Referring to the principle of equality as mentioned in the Constitution, Murmu said the unfair situation of a poor person not getting the same access to justice as a rich person must change for the better.

The ideal of equality, enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution and Fundamental Rights, also finds expression in one of the directive principles of state policy concerning delivery of justice, she said.

The directive seeks to provide equal justice and free legal aid. It makes the state responsible "…to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities." The vision statement of NALSAR also underlines a particular focus on social justice to the marginalised communities. "Unfortunately, a poor person does not get the same access to justice as a rich person. This unfair situation must change for the better. I expect your generation of legal professionals to be the change agents," the President said.

She also said graduating students should use technology as a tool for professional advancement and also as a means of social justice.

Highlighting the high legal traditions of the country, she said Megasthenes (Greek historian) had described Indians as remarkably law-abiding people. Chanakya's Artha-Shastra enumerates the high standards set for the officers responsible for the administration of justice.

"For a great country like ours, a sense of history arouses national pride and aspirations. Democratic traditions and practices of ancient India were highlighted by Dr B R Ambedkar in his concluding speech at the Constituent Assembly," Murmu said.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the President was accorded a warm welcome by the Governor, CM, his Cabinet colleagues and senior officials when she arrived at the Begumpet airport here. PTI