New Delhi: Legal and political institutions cannot achieve their objectives unless individuals internalise values of fairness, restraint and respect for others’ rights, attorney general R Venkataramani said on Saturday while addressing jurists, policymakers and legal professionals at Vidhi Utsav 2026.The two-day event, organised by Oakridge Publishing at the Constitution Club of India, brought together senior jurists, policymakers, corporate leaders and legal professionals. It also marked the release of two books — “Scared Tiger Tales” by Manoj Kumar and “Unshackling the Elephant” by Anand Prasad — and the launch of a global health initiative, “Aatman Samarpan”, aimed at promoting reformative and wellness-focused activities for the legal fraternity.Against this backdrop, Venkataramani flagged contemporary challenges, warning against the growing dominance of digital ecosystems over human attention. Platforms driven by endless scrolling and algorithmic engagement, he said, were eroding independent thought, describing the phenomenon as a “theft of the human mind”.“The loss of reflective thinking poses a direct challenge to the pursuit of justice, which depends on reasoned deliberation and moral clarity,” he said.Referring to classical works such as the Ramayana, Shakespearean plays and the writings of Milton, the attorney general highlighted the deep links between law and literature. Literature, he noted, was “not merely creative expression but a reflection of the principles that govern human life and social order”, underscoring that law extends beyond a rigid system of rules.He also drew on Indian philosophical traditions, particularly the concept of dharma, to argue that responsibility and ethical conduct are central to understanding law and justice. These values, he said, remain relevant to constitutional governance, where law must be guided by moral responsibility rather than mere procedural compliance.Addressing contemporary legal challenges, Venkataramani described fairness, equality, liberty and social peace as interdependent values, cautioning against privileging one at the cost of others. While acknowledging progress, he said structural reforms alone were insufficient without nurturing a culture of responsibility and participation.
