Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday asked graduating students of National Law School of India University to protect democracy, constitutional values and not to stop questioning.
Shivakumar also announced that the Karnataka government will establish a dedicated institute to train law graduates for judicial service examinations and provide continuing education for young lawyers. He further announced government support for a Start-up Law Clinic at NLSIU, where students, faculty members and lawyers will provide pro bono legal advice to young entrepreneurs.
Addressing the 34th annual convocation of NLSIU, where the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Supreme Court judges, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru and other judges were present, Shivakumar said a strong democracy always allows its people to question.
“A strong democracy is not one where everyone agrees with the government. The chief minister called on graduates to question, debate and challenge ideas while also taking responsibility for finding solutions.
Emphasising that a strong democracy must allow citizens to question the government, Shivakumar said young lawyers and policymakers had a special responsibility to safeguard the Constitution, “particularly at a time when democratic institutions across the world were facing challenges”. A strong democracy is one where every citizen has the freedom to question the government,” he said. He said constitutional principles must guide governance, policymaking and public life rather than remain confined to textbooks.
Recalling the ideals of the architect of the Indian Constitution, B R Ambedkar and the makers of the Constitution, he described justice, liberty, equality and fraternity as the foundations of Indian democracy.
The chief minister said the youth will play a decisive role in shaping India’s future over the next five decades.
