President pays tribute to Kargil heroes, calls for speedy implementation of justice

Cuttack: President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday paid her tribute to the heroes of Kargil War on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas here on Wednesday.

Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to her home state, paid her homage to those who made their supreme sacrifice for the country in the 1999 war with Pakistan and recounted the valour of Padmapani Acharya from Odisha who was bestowed the Mahavir Chakra.

The president addressing the valedictory function on the occasion of 75 years of the establishment of Orissa High Court, also called upon those connected with it to work for the speedy dispensation of justice and set an example for the country.

"Today on the glorious occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, all the countrymen remember the victory achieved by the extraordinary valour of our armed forces. On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay tribute and bow to the memory of the fighters who paved the way for victory by sacrificing their lives to protect the country. Their heroic stories will always inspire generations to come," she said. Murmu exhorted all concerned to work expeditiously to free the innocent who are languishing behind the bars on trivial charges.

Iterating the adage that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, the president said due to the delayed justice many people lose the prime period of the lives. The victims too lose their hopes to see the guilty being punished by the court during their lifetime.

“This is a subject close to my heart and I have spoken about it on previous occasions also,” she said. The president reminded the legal fraternity of the court of the failures in the justice delivery system and asked the judges to fulfill their fundamental duties.

Murmu, who is paying her third visit to her home state for the third time since assuming office a year ago, she remembered the Kargil war heroes and paid her tributes to the soldiers who made thir supreme sacrifice for their motherland in 1999. Murmu said the legal profession in the country has stood the test of time and has earned the trust and respect of its citizens. She congratulated the country's judiciary for being one of the pillars of the world’s largest democracy.

Commending the changes witnessed by the Orissa High Court during the past 75 years since Independence, she said any institution which does not change with time lags behind.

“I am told that the High Court of Orissa has endeavoured to incorporate technological advancements in the justice delivery system,” Murmu said and complimented the HC's initiatives to streamline and accelerate the pace through several modern innovative technology-driven changes.

The president also released a souvenir on the occasion.