Tolerance Factor in all Walks of Life at a Low Level: Nariman

New Delhi: Former Solicitor General of India and noted jurist Fali S Nariman on Wednesday said that tolerance factor in all walks of life has come to a very low level and the country could progress speedily and do better if tolerance levels improved.

"The tolerance factor in all walks of life has come to a very low level. And perhaps we could progress much more and speedily if this tolerance is better and better," he said.

Speaking on 'Preamble of the Constitution, its object and importance', Nariman described the Preamble as the 'big soul' of the Constitution and observed that it embodies the ideals and objectives of the Constitution itself.

He further observed that in a pluralistic society like ours, the Preamble emphasises the concepts of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity to achieve the larger goals of socio-economic development of the country.

Nariman said the problem of dictatorial rule is that offence is misused at the ground level and remote districts of the country without checks.

"When we impose it, an impression spreads that let us act against anybody," he said.

He also said that "in retrospection" he thinks Emergency was perhaps a good thing because it exposed some of the judges who had "cowed down" before the ruling dispensation at the time.

The eminent jurist said in a pluralistic society like India, no matter what great the Constitution was, it is only as grand as it works.

Calling legislators to enact laws that helped remove injustices in society, he said, "legislators must keep in mind before enacting a law as to how far it eliminates injustices."

He said the word "fraternity" in the preamble is very crucial and all efforts be made to ensure that this feeling prevails in the society.

Nariman elaborated that justice in the Preamble means removal of injustice to the extent possible and ideal justice is not possible to achieve.

According to him, the word fraternity is not repeated in the Constitution, except in the Preamble. As such, it assumes a special significance in our diverse society.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was also present on the occasion, besides former Judge and Governor V S Kokje.