MADURAI: While paying homage to eminent jurist and former Supreme Court Justice V R Krishna Iyer, the judges of Madras High Court said that his loss was irreparable not only to the legal fraternity but also to human rights activists.
Justice V Ramasubramanian said that a leading light of the judicial world was lost with the demise of Justice Krishna Iyer.
Justice Iyer was one who made literature out of law and law out of social justice. Despite retiring 35 years ago, he kept a vigil on the performance of the judiciary and never hesitated to voice his concerns whenever it was required, he said.
Justice N Kirubakaran, who had turned up to wish Justice Krishna Iyer on his 99th birthday, said that even in his final days, Justice Iyer was completely updated on current issues. Recalling his days with Iyer, Justice Kirubakaran said that Justice Iyer was keen on raising his voice whenever there was a threat to human rights anywhere. During his stint in the Apex Court, he even accepted a post card from a layman as a petition and granted relief to the people. His judgments would stand forever beyond generations and would deliver justice to the common man in all walks of life, he said.
Justice Kirubakaran also suggested that Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, should be awarded posthumously to Krishna Iyer for his contributions to the judiciary and the society.
Justice Vaidyanathan said that it was a great loss to the judiciary and that Iyer was a saviour of the layman and his dynamic judgements would stand to ensure the rights of the common man.
Justice Vaidyanathan, who had met the eminent jurist twice, said that he always used to say that lawyers were the pillars of judiciary and regretted that the ethics and integrity of the judiciary was deteriorating. The late Justice was a pride of the Judiciary, he added.
Mehabob Basha, the Managing Trustee of ‘Soco Trust’ that was closely associated with the legal luminary, said that Krishna Iyer had championed the cause of the downtrodden, prisoners, women’s rights and that his loss could not be compensated in the platform of the struggle for human rights across the globe. He also raised his voice for the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils and never tolerated the violation of human rights in any part of the world, Basha said.