Union Law Minister Urges Embracing Flag’s Virtues

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, speaking at the 79th Independence Day celebrations organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on the Supreme Court lawns, urged citizens to embody the virtues symbolized by the Indian tricolour—equality, compassion, mercy, brotherhood, and resilience.

Delivering his address in Hindi despite heavy rain, Meghwal recounted the constituent assembly’s debate on the national flag, where B.R. Ambedkar opposed the inclusion of a charkha, associating it with a political party. Instead, Ambedkar proposed the Ashok Chakra, with its 24 spokes representing virtues like compassion, justice, and fortitude. “We must inculcate these qualities from our flag,” Meghwal said, linking them to Ambedkar’s vision of equality as the foundation of freedom.

Meghwal emphasized that Ambedkar’s role in drafting the Constitution prioritized societal equality to secure true independence. His call to live by the flag’s principles resonated with the gathering, which applauded his reference to celebrating Independence Day amid adverse weather as a reflection of the flag’s spirit of perseverance.

SCBA President Vikas Singh, addressing the event, described the Supreme Court as the guardian of freedoms—expression, security, culture, religion, and diversity. “True independence means equality and security for all, and the Supreme Court is the protector of these rights,” he said. Singh stressed the importance of judicial appointments, arguing that the right judges are critical for just decisions. He revisited the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), struck down in 2015 for giving the government undue influence in appointments. Singh supported the ruling but advocated for the NJAC’s first component—a database of eligible candidates for judicial elevation—which was not addressed in the judgment.

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Singh revealed he had proposed a bill to former Law Minister Kiren Rijiju to regulate the collegium system by creating a transparent database for judicial appointments, ensuring the best candidates are considered. He expressed hope that under Meghwal’s leadership, the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) for judicial appointments, mentioned in the NJAC judgment, would be finalized to enhance transparency. “A secretariat to collate eligible names is essential for a fair collegium system,” Singh said, noting the MoP’s delay despite years of discussion.

The event underscored ongoing debates about judicial independence, with the collegium system appointing 34 Supreme Court judges and 1,752 high court judges since 2015, yet facing criticism for delays and lack of diversity—only 11% of high court judges are women as of 2025. Meghwal’s and Singh’s remarks align with broader calls for governance reforms, as echoed by PM Narendra Modi’s Independence Day announcement of a task force for next-generation reforms to modernize laws and boost ease of doing business.

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