New Delhi, Oct 02 (KNS) Senior Advocate and bar leader Ashok Bhan on Friday said Mahatma Gandhi’s historic visit to Kashmir in January 1948 carried a message that the Valley’s future lay safe and prosperous with a secular Indian republic, asserting that democracy is tested not in times of comfort but in times of crisis.
Speaking at a gathering of lawyers organised by the Save Democracy Foundation, Bhan said Gandhi’s message has special resonance for the legal profession, whose first allegiance is to truth, justice and the rule of law.
“Democracy is tested not in times of comfort, but in times of crisis—when we must have the courage to defend truth, inclusivity, liberty, equality and the dignity of every citizen,” Bhan said.
Recalling Gandhi’s visit to the Valley when Kashmir stood at a critical crossroads and the wounds of Partition were still fresh, Bhan said the Mahatma came without the authority of the State, without an army and without any instrument of coercion, but with the authority of truth, conscience and an unwavering faith in the unity of human beings.
“His presence in Kashmir was, therefore, not merely a visit; it was a moral statement and gave Kashmir a strong message that its future lies safe and prosperous with the secular republic of India—Bharat—that holds true also currently for the Kashmir imbroglio,” he said.
Bhan said Gandhi saw Kashmir not merely as a territorial question but as a civilisational space where different communities had lived together for centuries, and his presence in the Valley during those turbulent days was a message that Kashmir’s tradition of pluralism and harmony must survive the violence and bitterness unleashed by Partition.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“For us in the legal fraternity, Gandhi Ji’s Kashmir visit is a continuing reminder that democracy is ultimately tested not in times of comfort, but in times of crisis—when we must have the courage to defend truth, liberty, equality and the dignity of every citizen,” he said.
Noting that history does not always look to those who wield power but to those who possess moral authority when a nation is passing through a crisis, Bhan said Gandhi demonstrated through his own life that law and justice acquire meaning only when they protect human dignity and restrain the abuse of power.
He said remembering Gandhi must go beyond ceremonies and commemorations. “The real tribute to Gandhi Ji is to preserve the values for which he lived and died—truth without fear, non-violence without weakness, justice without discrimination and democracy without intolerance.”
Urging the legal community to remain vigilant in protecting constitutional institutions, civil liberties and the rule of law, Bhan said, “When the rule of law is strong, democracy has a conscience; when the rule of law is weakened, democracy itself becomes vulnerable.” (KNS)
Sports,Condolence,Politics,Business,Education,Entertainment,Crime,City,Health,National,Features,