From Citizenship Amendment Act to freedom of speech, from Uniform civil code to judicial accountability, a wide range of constitutional and legal issues, which have rocked the country for sometime, were debated by India’s best known legal experts, academicians and civil right activists at a three-day conference at International Centre , Goa between February 14 and 16. International legal experts also shared their insights and experiences so that the benefits of global best practices could be dovetailed into the proceedings.
The conference-the fifth edition of Difficult Dialogues-came out with series of recommendations for improving the State of the law in the country. The policy recommendations would be published in the form of actionable white papers that could make a difference.
The highlight of the engagements was a panel discussion on Free speech, censorship, and the media attended by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. Supreme Court advocate Geeta Luthra and two retired judges.
The panelists agreed that dissent was a key element of any democracy and diversity of opinion has to be respected. The Governor, who seemed to reluctantly endorse this view, insisted that right to dissent didn’t mean any one has the right to impose his views on others.
Later, in an interaction with the media persons when the Governor was asked for his reaction on tendency to brand traitors those dissenting against the Government’s policy, the Governor referred to a report by a Pakistani NGO that more than 1000 Hindu women were kidnapped and forcibly converted in that country. “ When such things happened across the border, these are bound to find an echo in India, too,” he said.
When asked what it has to do with the right of the citizen’s dissent against the Government , the governor virtually lost his cool and said most of those out on the streets are following “ fatwas’ issued by their masters.
While CAA remained a topic of discussion, both formally and informally, at the conference, the panelists also went at length into others issues such as: After the Aadhar judgment: Do individuals have right to privacy in India? Accountability vs independence of Judiciary: Is the balance right? Reforms in the administration of justice: What can help? Discrimination law and minorities: Is justice done? Making environmental laws effective: How to achieve sustainability?
Commenting at the conclusion of the three day summit, Surina Narula, Founder & CEO of Difficult Dialogues said, “In the fifth edition of Difficult Dialogues this year, we were able to discuss the State of Law in the country, identify the various issues and problems that exist, and come up with action points that could help in the speedy and equitable dispensation of justice to all. As an outcome of the Difficult Dialogues 2020, we will be documenting all the recommendations that were tabled in the form of actionable white papers for the benefit of all.”
This year the Knowledge Partners for Difficult Dialogues include the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford, (CSLS, Oxford), Bar Association of India (BAI), O P Jindal Global University, Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University (CSLG, JNU), the Goa University (GU), and the International Centre Goa (ICG).
The conference concluded with :Daring Debates” -a platform for the students-in which eight finalists from different colleges from across the country took part. The regional winners were invited for the grand finale where the topic was ‘Environment Protection: A Case for State Surveillance or Individual Discipline? ‘ The debate was moderated by wildlife film-maker Malaika Vaz. Erenbeni Humtsoe of St.Anthony’s College, Shillong was declared the winner with Manish Kumar Jha of IMS Law College, Delhi adjudged as the first runner-up and Sasha D’Souza of DnyanprassarakMandal’s College and Research Center, Goa adjudged as the second runner-up.