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The
year started with a cloudy sky. Rule of Law was
perilously near total collapse. Many a mind was
filled with gloom.
To feel gloomy and withdraw from activity is being
very near extinction of life. That was the counsel
which was carefully listened to by Sree Rama
himself, when he was frustrated by the deprivation
of the company of his beloved Sita.
Rama wandered long. He reach Pamba river basin. The
natural beauty of the region in Kerala - where many
pilgrims proceed every year the number comes to a
near million this year - did not bring enjoyment to
the two brothers. Abandon gloom; action is the right
answer Rama realized. And, according to the legend,
action took him to victory and recovery of his wife.
Action was our answer to many distressing
developments, posing grave threats to good
governance and right democratic principles.
The caravan of Niyama Sameeksha so moved on. New
units sprang up. One in Irnjalakuda, the head
quarters of Mukundapuram Taluk. The other in middle
Kerala, the historic town of Kayamkulam.
The message of Legal Literacy crossed the borders of
Kerala when a well-attended function was held in
Nagercoil, in Sethu Lakshmi Bai Memorial school,
founded in 1819. Justice K. Sukumaran, Chairman of
Niyama Sameeksha, Dr. Chokkalingam, Vice-Chancellor
of M.S. University, Thirunelvaeli, and Dr. Julian of
the Delhi unit of Niyama Sameeksha spoke on the
occasion.
The Advocates of Nagercoil are organizing the
formation of NISA (Niyama Sameeksha) unit there.
Legal Literacy camps were organized at various
places in Kerala. The photographs indicate the
intimate participation of the people of the areas.
With pen and paper in hand, they listened to the
lectures with wrapped attention.
The December exercises had richness in variety,
content and coverage.
Do expert bankers require lectures in Banking laws?
Could be a legitimate question. The answer is in
strong affirmative. That was implicit in the
suggestion of the Trichur Bankers’ Club Secretary
expressing the desire for a seminar on bankers and
the laws with a longer duration.
Justice K. Sukumaran traced the history of the
banking laws and the new problems posed by the
recent enactments intended to expedite realization
of money lent but not repaid.
One intelligent question raised by Mr. Sitaraman was
as to the absence of infrastructure in managing a
running enterprise by a quick takeover. An
entrepreneur masters the best ways of running the
factory by a life long experience. How can a bank
manager who is even otherwise busy find the time to
look at it let alone manage it?
The interaction after the learned lectures by the
participants demonstrated that every one is an
eternal student in a subject like Law.
Concentration could be intense when you read a page
or hear an oration in serene surroundings. It was
convincingly demonstrated by the students of the
school near Kunnamkulam. The extensive compound gave
the environment, the aura of a Shanti Nikethan.
Little wonder, Medha Pedkar, a heroine for the young
idealists, visited the school and talked to them.
The students raise their own vegetables scrupulously
avoiding inorganic manure and eschewing pesticides.
They milk the cows and have the advantage of having
unadulterated milk the like of which our ancestors
got from the pet cows.
The lectures were delivered by the speakers in the
well protected shade of the wide spread trees.
The lovely rural set up has many specialists in
different branches of the Ayurvedic system. Some of
the guardians were physicians. They admired the
issue of the Niyama Sameeksha devoted to Ayurveda
and the Laws.
The seminar at Agali arranged for the Tribals of
Attappadi, held on 3rd Jan 2004 falls outside the
year. That is dealt with separately. It has a
message for the Nation....
Niyama Sameeksha, in collaboration with Sree
Narayana Kendra held a meaningful function in
remembering the revolutionary poet Kumaran Asan of
Kerala who exhorted for CHANGE OF LAWS which
oppressed the weaker sections. (Detailed reports are
separately given)
Another Delhi function was the felicitation given to
Dr. Sebastian Paul, member of the advisory board, as
a Member of Parliament. The speakers saw the
function as one to emphasized the basic requirements
for successful working of a democracy.
The speakers included Justice M.N. Rao, former Chief
Justice of Himachal Pradesh, M.N. Krishna Mani,
President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and
the veteran journalist Edamaruku.
The subjects dealt with in the issues covered the
following topics of contemporaneous interest.
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a. |
The Head Load
Workers Act.
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b. |
Rent Control
Bill.
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c. |
Ayurveda and the
laws.
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d. |
Adivasis and the
laws.
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e. |
There were wide
discussions on the topics at the time of release
of the issues. |
One
significant feature as regards the Head Load workers
Act was the neat analysis of the legal provisions by
the Trade Union leaders familiar with the actual
working of the Act.
The Malayalam version was given by Niyama sameeksha.
It had its appeal for the workers who are directly
concerned with the implementation of its
provisions.
Understandably, there was good demand for the copies
of the issue, necessitating a re-print of that
issue.
Detailed discussions marked the release of the issue
on rent Control bill. The Ernakulam chamber of
Commerce took the initiative in organizing the
discussion. Similar discussions took place in
chalakudi where the Chamber as also the municipality
Chairman and Mr. Rajendran M.L.A. took part.
Here again Niyama Sameeksha gave the Malayalam
translation. It furnished the model of a balanced
law as well! |
