Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Biju Patnaik has a special place in the hearts of people. He earned affection and respect of all regions and political parties. His legacy is beyond party affiliation. Not only Odisha, but the whole country is proud of him. The President appreciated Shri Naveen Patnaik and his family for handing over the Anand Bhawan campus to the state government. He expressed hope that visitors to this museum will be able to know more about the multi-dimensional personality of the late Biju Patnaik and get acquainted with a glorious chapter in the history of Odisha and India.
The President said that all-round development of Odisha is necessary for India’s inclusive growth. Odisha is rich in forest and mineral resources. The state can reach new heights with optimal and balanced use of these resources. Odisha also has a lot of potential in the tourism sector, which could increase employment and strengthen economic growth.
Later in the day, the President delivered the 3rd Foundation Day Lecture of the National Law University Odisha.
Addressing the gathering, the President said that the modernisation of the legal profession has kept pace with the rise in opportunities for law graduates and young lawyers. While litigation in the courtroom remains at the core of legal practice, a law graduate today finds many avenues open to him or her that were simply not available to previous generations.
The President said that as our economy has grown, the legal profession too has expanded. Commercial and business law have become more important, complex and intellectually stimulating. Trade and commerce, international agreements and even the craft of diplomacy increasingly turn to lawyers and legal minds for negotiations and skilled drafting of texts. Arbitration and the globalisation of legal services have also linked today’s lawyers with the rest of our planet.
The President said that an advocate is a law officer of the court. He or she has a responsibility to the client, but also a duty to assist the court in delivery of justice. Our legal system has a reputation for being expensive and for being prone to delays. The use and abuse of the instrument of adjournments is often done by advocates who see adjournment as a tactic to slow down proceedings, rather than a response to a genuine emergency. This adds to the cost of obtaining justice for the litigant. It would be a travesty of our republican ethic if a poor person did not get the same access to the law as a rich person.
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