VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Justice of India Justice N Venkata Ramana on Sunday paid rich tributes to writer Raavi Sastry. He was the chief guest at the birth centenary celebrations of the litterateur organised by Visakha Rasagna Vedika here on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, the CJI said Raavi Sastry’s writings influenced him and he learnt a lot from him.
“Judicial system and parliament and legislature were well explained in Raavi Sastry’s book Aaru Sara Kadhalu so that everyone can understand the Constitution. In the book, Raavi Sastry highlighted the danger caused if people lose confidence in various systems in society. In the book, Raavi Sastry said judgements of courts should not be based only on evidence, but they should reflect social facts,” the CJI said and recalled that he had printed a few hundred of copies of Aaru Sara Kadhalu and distributed them to Telugu advocates and judges.
Raavi Sastry, through his works, demanded that outdated colonial laws should be updated. Justice Ramana said the interim order was issued by the Supreme Court on Article 124 A (sedition law) as there was a debate on the outdated colonial laws. “I used to wait for Thursdays in Vijayawada bus stand for a vernacular weekly which carried Raavi Sastry’s weekly column Rattalu Rambabu,” Ramana recalled.
The CJI said he will bear entire expenses to publish Ravvi Sastry’s works in English and Hindi, if anyone comes forward to translate them. He said he tried to translate the works of Raavi Sastry but failed. Raavi Sastry had immense love for Visakhapatnam and it reflected many of his works, he said. Stating that language is important for sustaining any community, he called upon people to promote Telugu and make children read Telugu books.
Earlier, Justice Ramana released a book Raavi Sastry Akshara Spoorti at the meeting. He also presented Raavi Sastry Sahitya Puraskar to noted writer Olga. High Court judge Justice U Durga Prasad also spoke. Earlier, Rasgna Vedika president G Raghurama Rao welcomed the gathering. Rasgna Vedika vice-president E Peda Veeraju, Rachakonda Uma Kumar Sastry, youngest son of Raavi Sastry, and others spoke