The Chief Justice, known for espousing poetry at all occasions including the courtroom, regaled the audience by using his command over Urdu poetry to quote Ghalib, Nida Fazli and Iqbal
At outgoing Chief Justice of India TS Thakur's farewell, his successor - the Chief Justice Designate of India J Kehar eloquently said that the post of the Chief Justice was perhaps popularised because of the individual who chaired it. And in this case, all doubts of Justice Thakur's popularity were answered by the crowd of over 500 who thronged the lawns of the Supreme Court premises to bid him farewell.
The Chief Justice, known for espousing poetry at all occasions including the courtroom, regaled the audience by using his command over Urdu poetry to quote Ghalib, Nida Fazli and Iqbal. On questions of his post retirement plans, he recited Ghalib's famous verse, "Rahiye Ab Aisi Jagah Chalkar Jahan Koi Na Ho, Hamaukhan Koi Na Ho Aur Hamzaban Koi Na Ho" (It's time to now go somewhere where no one lives and nest where conversation will remain quiet, where tongues will be at rest).
However, the 43rd Chief Justice of India, who retired on Tuesday after a career spanning over four decades, soon contradicted himself by quoting Iqbal's verse — "Jahan Main Ahaan Main Ahl-e-Iman Soorat-e-Khrsheed Jeetay Hain, Idhar Doobay, Udhar Niklay, Udhar Doobay Idhar Niklay" (In the world, the people of faith live like the sun; here they sink, there they arise, there they sink, here they arise!). The couplet was in response to Justice Kehar's joking remark that he should now consider a career in Bollywood (as an actor) or perhaps as President in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The outgoing Chief Justice who had served for a little over a year, reiterated that there were as many as three crore cases pending in courts across the country due to the paucity of judges. He then touched upon other issues.
"You will have very serious issues coming up not very far from now. You will have issues regarding cyber-laws, genetics, privacy, medico-legal cases. You will have issues on making India an inclusive society," he said.
The Justice warned his "brother judges" that these issues were very grave, especially since the country was on the cusp of a great resurgence. "The country is growing...developing very fast and emerging as a great superpower not only in armaments but also in terms of it becoming an economic power."
Justice Thakur added that peace was crucial to progress of the county. He stated that this peace was possible in the society if the "administration of justice and the judiciary played their roles to the fullest."
Recalling moments from his career, Justice Thakur mentioned how he missed the days when he was a young lawyer. "One amendment I would like the Constitution to make... is to make the retiring judges free to start practice again," he said amid laughter.
On concluding his 25-minute speech, Justice Thakur said, "I may be retiring from this institution; I will continue praying for its prestige from outside the sanctum sanctorum. I will continue praying for the judiciary to remain fearless and keep doing what the common man expects it to be doing."
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