Govt launches dedicated portal for bolstering awareness of Constitutional & legal rights
By TIOL News Service
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NEW DELHI, JULY 17, 2024: WHILE commemorating the 75th Year of India as a Republic, Department of Justice (DoJ) organized 2nd Regional event titled ‘Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman” at AMA Convention Centre(AMACC) at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradeshtoday. The 2 nd regional event is an extension of the national year-long Campaign titled ‘Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman” launched by Vice President on 24 th January,2024 at New Delhi.The 1 st Regional event was held at Bikaner,Rajasthan was inaugurated by Hon'ble Chief Justice of India (CJI)Dr. Justice D.Y.Chandrachudon 9 th March,2024 as a Chief Guest. The 2 nd Regional event is inaugurated by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Law & Justice,& MoS for Parliamentary Affairs in the presence of Hon'ble Justice Arun Bhansali, Chief Justice,High Court of Judicature at Allahabad as a Guest of Honor and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, Executive Chairman, UP State Legal Services Authority as an Esteemed Guest.
About 800 participants attended the event and this included representatives from Bar Association, Judicial officers, Advocates, field level functionaries of Tele-Law program under DISHA scheme, District Administration, Police Officials, Law students and faculties.
‘Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman' portalwas launched that will serve as a repository of knowledge, providing citizens with easy access to information to create awareness about the Constitution and legal rights. It will also feature glimpses of the activities carried out under the campaign. Additionally, it will also consist of an event calendar and tools to make learning about constitutional rights interactive and participative through a community-based collaborative approach.
Welcoming the dignitaries on the dais and the audience Secretary (Justice) DoJ, shared about the various elements of the Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman Campaign which included Sabko Nyaya -Har Ghar Nyaya; Nav Bharat Nav Sankalp and Vidhi Jagriti Samman. Initiatives of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice are already aligned to the mandate of Justice for all. Now the nation wide campaign of Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman makes this more participative and inclusive.
During the event, Union MoS (I/C) for Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal delivered a keynote address reflecting on the significance of the Constitution of India in protecting the rights of its citizens. He highlighted that despite political equality guaranteed since the Constitution's enactment in 1950, economic and societal inequalities have posed challenges to our society. Shri Meghwal emphasized the pivotal role of initiatives like NALSA/SLSA/DLSA/TLSC in laying the groundwork for achieving Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's vision of economic and social justice for all disadvantaged sections.He underscored the Department of Justice's commitment to this vision through initiatives such as the Nyaya Bandhu program, which provides free legal aid. Shri Meghwal noted that under his tenure, one national event and two regional events have been successfully conducted under the 'Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman' campaign. He announced plans to expand this initiative with three additional regional events scheduled in Kochi, Srinagar, and Itanagar later this year, aiming to broaden constitutional awareness across India.
At the event, the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad received accolades for its commendable efforts in offering pro bono legal services to disadvantaged individuals. Registrar General Shri Rajiv Bharti, representing the pro bono panel of the High Court, shared insights into their impactful initiatives. He highlighted the Ministry of Law & Justice's "Nyaya Bandhu" program as a crucial step towards achieving universal access to justice. This program provides a platform for lawyers across the country to register for pro bono services, accessible via web and mobile applications including Android, iOS, and Umang.
Shri Bharti noted that currently, over a hundred lawyers from Allahabad High Court have voluntarily registered to provide pro bono services, demonstrating a significant commitment to supporting those in need through legal aid initiatives.
Highlighting the significance of the Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman campaign, Hon'ble Chief Justice of High Court, Mr. Justice Arun Bhansali commended that the said Campaign is a collective call to action to spread constitutional education. He emphasized on the role of judicial fraternity in ensuring that justice, equality, liberty and fraternity must permeate the life of every citizen. He added that the Campaign needs to be localized and has the potential to address social inequality and poverty.He applauded the Nyaya Bandhu program of DoJ as a valuable endeavor to provide a humanitarian perspective to the legal arena.
Hon'ble Mr. Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, Executive Chairman of UPSLSA, emphasized the foundational role of the Indian Constitution in our democracy, enshrining fundamental rights and freedoms for all citizens. He expressed concern that these rights often remain unknown or unclear to many in our society. Justice Gupta underscored the importance of programs like 'Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman' in ensuring that every Indian, regardless of their background or circumstances, is fully aware of their rights and protections.He urged all state organs to fulfil their responsibility in educating citizens about their rights, highlighting his firsthand experience of the transformative impact of legal awareness initiatives in communities. Justice Gupta stressed that the campaign's theme encapsulates the essence of their efforts, calling for collective dedication to spreading constitutional awareness. He emphasized the goal of empowering citizens and creating a society where the ideals of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity are not merely theoretical concepts but tangible realities.
The winners of the Hamara Samvidhan Hamara campaign competitions were felicitated by Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal which underscored the significance of people's active participation in the campaign. He encapsulated the relevance of the event by drawing a parallel to Prayagraj, a place revered as Triveni Sangam where three rivers converge. This symbolism, he noted, represents the harmonious convergence of the three organs of the State—Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.
