Lawyers showered words of praise upon the judge and thanked him for his continuous efforts towards green cover conservation. Over a lakh trees were planted across the capital through orders passed during his tenure.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Retiring Delhi High Court judge Najmi Waziri was recently accorded a warm and emotional farewell by the lawyers’ fraternity, court staff and the general public.
Lawyers showered words of praise upon the judge and thanked him for his continuous efforts towards green cover conservation. Over a lakh trees were planted across the capital through orders passed during his tenure. A group of people gathered at the High Court gate holding a banner as a homage to the retiring judge’s contributions, a Bar and Bench report said.
Addressing the lawyers and others, Justice Waziri called for more measures to protect the environment and nature. “This country requires many Sunder Lal Bahugunas, Bhavreen Kandharis and Aditya N Prasads. Only then our country and our neighbourhoods will turn into delightful orchards,” he said.
“What you do today and what you’ll be doing over the years is not a small thing. It would have ramifications. Nature’s evolution requires time. You can’t see it grow; the growth is otherwise palpable…
“When a child grows up, you suddenly see the child has grown. It takes time to reach there. Your efforts — as a lawyering community joining this mission along with members of the civil society who led it from the front — are making a difference. We are just a court,” Justice Waziri said.
“Ye bench mujhe jaane nahi de rahi (this bench is not letting me retire),” jested an emotional Justice Waziri.
A lawyer sought permission to recite a couplet from Lawrence of Arabia, dedicated to the judge. He said: “He was in a time, pre World War I. Arabia was not discovered and he was sent to assess the situation. And he changed the map on the ground.
He says, and this is for you: All men dream; all men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
Another lawyer quoted renowned Urdu poet Firaq Gorakhpuri: “Aane wali naslein tum par fakr karengi hum-asro, jab bhi unko dhyan aayega tum ne ‘Firaq’ ko dekha tha (The generations to come will be proud of you, o my peers, whenever they notice you have seen ‘Firaq’).” The lawyer continued: “I think we just need to change ‘Firaq’ with your name. You have done a fantastic job. And I think it is unparalleled. Both the citizens of Delhi and the lawyers feel the difference that you have made. Wishing you success in the next innings as well.”
Justice Waziri thanked him, saying: “Yes, that’s a few hours away. I am looking forward to that in many ways. I’ll be a freer person with all the trappings of the office not being there…It has been a pleasure; it has been a delight listening to all of you and being assisted.”
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Photo courtesy Bar & Bench: A group of people gathered at the High Court gate holding a banner as a homage to the retiring judge’s contributions.
