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Justice Surya Kant pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries

New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): Justice Surya Kant, Supreme Court judge, on Thursday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary, saying that their shared ethos, of justice, humility, and selfless service, remains far more than a memory; it is a living call to action. Paying floral tribute to Gandhi on his statue in the Supreme Court premises, Justice Kant said that visiting Mahatma Gandhi's statue at the court premises stirred a profound sense of peace and reflection within him today. "There was a calm dignity in the air that seemed to embody his teachings of truth and nonviolence. His ability to unite millions of Indians from each and every strata of society galvanised a widespread national movement that challenged British rule directly on the ground," he said. On this day, we bow in reverence to Rashtra Pita Mahatma Gandhi, whose life and ideals illuminate the very path that humanity treads on, Justice Kant added. "Pujya Bapu's focus on villages, self-reliance, and simple living allowed him to represent the majority of Indians, giving a voice to the rural masses in the larger political narrative and reinforcing a unified national identity. I felt humbled by the thought of his immense courage and the sacrifices he made for our nation's freedom. A deep sense of gratitude and inspiration has washed over me, reminding that true strength lies in simplicity and moral conviction," he further said. Justice Kant said that for Gandhiji, true freedom was never confined to the attainment of political sovereignty; it was measured by the dignity accorded to the most vulnerable and by the assurance of justice to those at the margins of society. His vision was not restricted to legal institutions alone, but encompassed the broader fabric of social life, where harmony, equity, and compassion were to be the guiding forces of human conduct, he added. Justice Kant further said, "As we contemplate his philosophy today, it is worth recalling that Gandhiji, like many of us here, was trained in the law. Yet his conception of conflict resolution transcended the adversarial methods of the courtroom and was convinced that even the fiercest disputants shared threads of common interest, and that through an appeal to both the heart and the mind, reconciliation was possible. His profound faith in the inherent goodness of humanity breathed life into his ethos of conflict as an opportunity for harmony rather than division." Remembering Shastri, Justice Kant said that in celebrating such ideals, we must also turn our thoughts to another towering figure in our nation's history, who shares this auspicious day of birth-- Lal Bahadur Shastri. "Nurtured by Gandhian thought from his earliest years in the freedom struggle, Shastri ji carried those values into the highest offices of public life. His tenure in governance was distinguished by humility, integrity, and a spirit of service. His enduring call--"Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan"--resonates even today as a timeless affirmation of patriotism, honouring both the soldier who safeguards the nation and the farmer who sustains it," he said. In carrying forward this legacy, Shastri's stewardship as Prime Minister translated Gandhian principles into resolute action, said Justice Kant. His leadership was grounded in accessibility and moral clarity, mirroring Gandhi's vision that justice and dignity must extend to every household and every field, he emphasised. "The profound commonality between Gandhi and Shastri lies in their unwavering devotion to justice as the bedrock of public life. For Gandhi, justice was the moral compass of society, inseparable from truth and compassion. Shastri, in turn, translated that moral vision into the practice of governance, through simplicity, integrity, and an abiding inclusiveness that ensured no citizen felt excluded from the nation's progress. As we pay tribute to these two remarkable visionaries today, let us remember that their shared ethos--of justice, humility, and selfless service- remains far more than a memory; it is a living call to action, urging us to uphold their principles in the ongoing journey of our democracy," Justice Kant concluded. (ANI)

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