The Hindu : Karnataka News : Lahoti wants morality, ethics entwined in law

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 01, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Lahoti wants morality, ethics entwined in law

By Our Special Correspondent

The Chief Justice of India, R.C. Lahoti, inaugurating the Vijnaneshwra Bhavan and Research Centre at Martur, 12 km from Gulbarga on Friday.

GULBARGA, DEC. 31. The Chief Justice of India, R.C. Lahoti, said on Friday that there should be research on the works of 11th Century saint Vijnaneshwara, who wrote Mitakshara, a commentary on Yagnavalkya Smriti, which forms the basis for Hindu Law in vogue now.

Mr. Lahoti was inaugurating Vijnaneshwara Bhavan and Vijnaneshwara Research Centre, constructed at a cost of Rs. 65 lakhs at Martur, 12 km from here.

Mr. Lahoti said Mitakshara is superior.

There is a need for entwining ethics and morality in the law to make it effective and relevant.

Vijnaneshwara was a visionary jurist whose ideas are relevant now and his Mitakshara remains the guide for jurists.

The Chief Justice said Mitakshara gave remedies for violation of human rights, Intellectual Property Rights, taxation, foeticide, and sexual discrimination, besides the law of inheritance in the Hindu United Family and rights of women to have a share in property. Mitakshara says even the baby in the womb should be given a share while splitting the ancestral property among family members.

Vijnaneshwara did not confine Mitakshara to the commentary on Yagnavalkya Smriti.

Jois lauded

Mr. Lahoti praised the contribution of former Chief Justice of Punjab and Harayana High Court, M. Rama Jois, in taking the initiative to build a memorial to Vijnaneshwara.

He said he returns an enlightened man to New Delhi after reading research papers presented at a seminar organised by the Centre for Studies on Vijnaneshwara's Mitakshara and Human Rights in Gulbarga University.

Markandeya Khatju, Chief Justice of Madras High Court, and Mr. Jois spoke.

V.B. Coutinho, Vice-Chancellor of Gulbarga University, welcomed the gathering.

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