Patna: Former Union law minister and former CM of Karnataka M Veerappa Moily said on Saturday that the present laws of India do not reflect the rich spiritual heritage of ancient India. Ancient Indian jurisprudence was far superior to Western and modern theories of law, he said.Highlighting the significance of unique features of ancient jurisprudence at Chanakya National Law University here, Moily said our legal system was the only system that provided that if the king is not able to discharge his duties properly and award justice to his subjects, then he may be executed like a mad dog. No other system gives this power to the people to ensure accountability of the govt, he said.Delivering a lecture on “Bhartiya Nyayashashtra”, Moily pointed out that all disputes cannot be resolved through courts. He favoured conflict resolution outside the court. He further observed that courts are not the right forum to resolve contentious religious disputes like Ayodhya.Welcoming the recent reforms in criminal law, Moily expressed his reservations on some of these measures as they were not wholesome and still do not completely reflect the wisdom of ancient Indian sages. He strongly advocated indigenisation of laws.Responding to a student’s question on the meaning of ‘Brahmin’, the former law minister said ‘Brahmin’ means one who is virtuous and one who is learned and scholarly. He said Brahmin is an idea, not a caste, and it is a state of being free from ignorance.CNLU vice-chancellor Faizan Mustafa presided over the function.
Attachment
