As Ayodhya prepares for Monday's Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, it is of significance to recall that four years ago, the 91-year-old senior lawyer Keshav Parasaran, a two-time former Attorney General (AG) of India, fervently advocated for the Hindu side in the Supreme Court. Notably, he presented his case without shoes and stood for extended periods during the proceedings.
Speaking to TNIE, Parasaran, now 96, said he felt that God Ram is present everywhere. Whether it is at home, outside, on the courts, or anywhere, it was one's faith, belief, and respect for God Ram. "The argument, which I delivered in the Ram Mandir case in the Supreme Court in 2019, is due to my love for God Ram. It is due to my faith, devotion, and devotion to God Ram. I did it for Ram (Lalla) only," Parasaran told this newspaper in a very emotional tone from Chennai.
On being asked about winning the case in the Supreme Court, he said that I did my best in the case. It was the Supreme Court that decided and pronounced the verdict in the case. "I have nothing more to say," he said.
In 2019, the 91-year-old senior lawyer ardently presented arguments for the Hindu side in the Supreme Court's Ram Mandir case, opting to do so barefoot and standing for an extended duration. This action, despite his advanced age, surprised observers, with many attributing it to his evident passion and devotion to God Ram.
Spending four to five hours daily, Parasaran presented arguments in the Ram Mandir case at the top court, akin to any lawyer handling a typical case. Demonstrating profound respect, he removed his shoes during hearings, a testament to his reverence for God. Remarkably, he exhibited no signs of fatigue during or after the exhaustive arguments.
He was brought back from Chennai to Delhi for two cases. One was the Sabarimala case, and the other was the Ayodhya case, although he rarely appeared in cases after 2016 due to his old age.
Parasaran, being an eminent Hindu scholar and an excellent government lawyer, argued the Ram Mandir case in the Supreme Court in August 2019 for around 4-5 days consecutively.
Parasaran is a senior Supreme Court advocate who, in a legal career spanning over six decades, served as the AG of India from 1983 to 1989. He had earlier served as the Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu in 1976.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in 2003 and 2011. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 for a period of six years. Parasaran's knowledge of the Indian Constitution and ancient dharma has been praised by various senior lawyers.
