A four-year-old farewell speech by Justice R.K. Agrawal, delivered while leaving the Madras High Court in 2014 after a tumultuous tenure as its Chief Justice, came back to life on the day of his retirement from the Supreme Court on Friday.
Vikas Singh, Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior advocate, quoted extensively from the farewell speech to send across a message to Supreme Court judges and advocates that they should stand united for the prestige of the institution.
‘Danger is within’
“The danger is from within and not from outside ... You should not cut the tree from the branch you are sitting on ... You have to remember that the respect, status and reputation you get from society is all because of this great institution,” Mr. Singh quoted Justice Agrawal’s speech to the assembled Supreme Court judges, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, and lawyers on Friday at a function on the court lawns.
Mr. Singh said Justice Agrawal’s speech was “so relevant for all of us here today”.
Chief Justice Misra complimented Mr. Singh’s words, saying the “Supreme Court is one” and calling the Bar “guiding angels” who “fosters us, nurtures us”.
The image of the court has recently taken a beating over a range of issues starting with the January 12 press meet of its four senior-most judges — Justices J. Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph — to the failed bid by the Opposition to remove Chief Justice Misra.
Only Justice Lokur, among the four judges, was seen at the farewell.
Mr. Singh, later speaking to The Hindu , said he and his juniors did a lot of research to dig out Justice Agrawal’s speech at the Madras High Court.
Mr. Singh said the speech, calling for calm and unity, had come in the aftermath of violent agitations witnessed at the High Court when the judge was serving at its helm. Mr. Singh said Justice Agrawal also had to face the controversies surrounding Justice C.S. Karnan, who was a judge in the Madras High Court then before he was transferred to the Calcutta High Court.
“It is time that we stand together and take a solemn pledge to strive hard and regain the lost glory of this great institution... forbear from doing anything that is likely to harm the institution... do nothing either in court or outside to damage the prestige of the institution... It takes years to build a reputation and only a moment to destroy it,” Mr. Singh read out as Justice Agrawal looked on.
