Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an "internationally acclaimed visionary", Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra on Saturday termed him a "versatile genius, who thinks globally and acts locally".
Justice Mishra was delivering the vote of thanks at the inaugural function of the International Judicial Conference 2020 - "Judiciary and the Changing World" at the Supreme Court when he made the remarks. Judges from over 20 countries are attending the conference in the national capital.
He also praised the Prime Minister and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for doing away with 1,500 obsolete laws.
The Supreme Court judge said India is a responsible and most friendly member of the international community under the "stewardship" of Modi.
"India is a responsible and most friendly member of the international community under the stewardship of internationally acclaimed visionary Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi," he said.
"India is committed to constitutional obligations and dedicated to a peaceful and secure world, free from terrorism. In the process of development, preservation of environment is considered supreme," he added.
Challenges faced by the judiciary at the national and international levels are common and judiciary has a "significant role" in the ever-changing world, he said.
The senior Supreme Court judge also referred to the contribution of an independent and robust bar calling the "the mother of judiciary".
Expressing gratitude to Modi for inaugurating the conference, Justice Mishra said, "Dignified human existence is our prime concern. We thank the versatile genius, who thinks globally and acts locally, Shri Narendra Modi, for his inspiring speech which would act as a catalyst in initiating the deliberations and setting the agenda for the conference."
Calling India the biggest democracy in the world, Justice Mishra said "people wonder how this democracy is functioning so successfully".
Justice Mishra, who is third in seniority in the apex court, emphasised on the need to strengthen the judicial system.
He said, "Now we are in the 21st century. We are looking for modern infrastructure not only for the present but also for future To strengthen judicial system is the call of the day as it is the backbone of democracy whereas legislature is the heart and executive is the brain. All these three organs of the state have to work independently but in tandem to make democracy successful...".
He said there is growing concern among masses of being left out and deprived of the gains of globalisation.
"The sense of injustice and inequality being created by the same looms large on us," he said.
"It has to be taken care of by all of us alike before it becomes lethal like coronavirus," he added.
(With agencies)
