Law students should be torch bearers of social justice: Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday asked the students of law colleges not just to fight for legal justice, but also for social justice.

The Chief Minister participated in the silver jubilee function of Dr Ambedkar Law University and inaugurated the silver jubilee memorial plaque and released the special silver jubilee souvenir. Delivering his address he recalled the history of the University and asked the students of law colleges to stand by justice and not just for their petitioners.

"Now, the people's only need is justice. You (law students) should be the ambassadors of justice in future. Apart from law books, you should also read society. Be it political protests or the freedom struggle or the social reform movements lawyers were at the forefront. Law education is a combination of politics and social sciences. You should be advocates who not just work for the success of your parties but also justice," said Stalin.

While recalling the history of the University, he said that for the first time in south Asia a university for the law was established by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in the name of legal luminary Dr Ambedkar. Karunanidhi has also named the Madras Law college after Ambedkar in 1989.

"The Gopalapuram residence of Karunanidhi is in a narrow lane and officials decided to allot Poompozhil Illam in Greenways road for him. At the same time, discussions were going on about choosing the land for Dr Ambedkar Law University. When officials informed the idea of allotting Poompozhil Illam to Karunanidhi, he thought that constructing a building for the university would take time and so announced that Poompozhil Illam will be converted into Dr Ambedkar Law university," said Stalin.

He also said that Karunanidhi allotted 15 acres of land in Perungudi for the expansion of Dr Ambedkar Law University in 2008. The university, functioning on the principles of social justice, where reservation is followed in admission processes and more than 20,000 students especially from rural areas are benefited by the government law colleges in the State, added Stalin.