Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday called upon the notions of Global South to junk the absolute old colonial era laws that continue to perpetuate injustice, inequality and prejudice against the local population.
Speaking at the first ‘Regional Conference on Access to Legal Aid: Strengthening Access to Justice in the Global South,’ he said: “Time has come when Global South nations should follow India’s example and review the old colonial laws that perpetuate prejudice against local populations.”
Dhankhar said: “Rise of global south would constitute the greatest stabilizing force for the world and it’ll generate the growth trajectory of the world.”
Calling for collective endeavour to reverse and cure the historical wrongs, the Vice-President Dhankhar said: “As the Global South embarks on its journey towards a brighter future, it is imperative to shed the shackles of its colonial past and strive together to reverse the historical wrongs that have perpetuated injustice and inequality. This is a common threat.”
Pointing to the deprivation of access to justice system and denial of legal aid, present existential challenge to the vulnerable sections, the Vice-President said: “Access to legal aid and justice system is quintessential to nurturing and blossoming of fundamental human values and fostering equitable societies.”
Noting that India is in the process of reviewing outdated colonial era laws, Dhankhar emphasized that it will bring about sea-change in our outlook and totally contain, curb and decimate those exploitative provisions.
“The countries of the global south will do well to closely study the action that India has taken in these areas and apply them to their countries after suitably customizing,” the Vice President suggested.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the term ‘Global South’ to the central stage and positioning it in a forum like G20, Dhankhar said that just a few years ago, no one was even aware of the term ‘Global South’ and credited the Prime Minister for bringing it to the central stage and positioning it in a forum like G20 primarily dominated by developed countries.”
Mentioning that just a few years ago, no one was even aware of the term ‘Global South’, Shri Dhankhar said that the success achieved by the inclusion of the African Union in G20 alongside the European Union is remarkable and very equitable, he added.
Asserting that India’s ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is now translated into a ground reality and referring to the “shared history of colonial oppression and sufferings” that “we have a deep emotive connect” as a nation with the nations of the Global South culturally and otherwise, the Vice-President said, “The negative aspects of colonial rule bind us together. We have suffered through the ages and we have to mitigate the suffering by learning from one another.”