Be true to letter of law, spirit of justice: Kovind

In an apparent reference to the recent controversy over the Supreme Court order perceived to be diluting a law meant to safeguard the Dalits, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said that if institutions and society can be true to both the “letter of the law” and the “spirit of justice”, it could lead to a developed India where every Indian realises his/her potential.

“There may be disagreement, but there must be respect for the other person’s dignity.

Dignity and civility; order and rule of law; fairness and justice; entrepreneurship and aspirations – we have to achieve all of these. We cannot pick and choose,” said Kovind, a Dalit himself, addressing the 34th annual session of FICCI ladies organisation.

The Supreme Court’s March 20 judgment on the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 had sparked protests in many parts of the country, resulting in 11 deaths since Monday. It forced the government to file a review petition against the order that banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the Act.

Kovind also referred to the mounting non-performing assets and bad loans in the banking sector, in the wake of the recent scam hitting the banking sector, and said it is the honest citizens who have to ultimately bear the burden of such defaults.

Pointing out genuine business failures can happen, he said: “But when there is a wilful and criminal default on a bank loan, then it is families of our fellow Indians that suffer.