4.
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED
As part of our academic curriculum, we were tasked with arranging a legal aid camp and
subsequently compiling a report detailing its proceedings. The university administration secured
permission from the authorities to hold this legal aid camp on the grounds of Suren Das College.
During the event, we engaged with both individuals and students present, posing questions
derived from a questionnaire we had prepared. The objective was to gain a more comprehensive
understanding of the challenges they encounter and gather valuable insights into their
experiences. The journey began when we left the college at around 10 am and after 30 minutes
we reached the destination.
4.1 Dignitaries Present
-Shri Prof (Dr.) Ramesh Chandra Borpatragohain, Former Advocate General of Assam and
Head and Dean of Faculty of Law, Gauhati University
-Dr. Hiranya Kumar Sarma, Principal, Suren Das College, Hajo
-Dr. Himangshu Ranjan Nath, Assistant Professor of Law, National Law University and Judicial
Academy Assam.
-Mr. Saheb Choudhary, Assistant Professor of Law, National Law University and Judicial
Academy Assam.
The program was moderated by our classmates Zara Hannah Kabir, Bhanu Pratap Parashar and
Ritu Raj.
4.2 Camp Detailings
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4.2.1 Activities by Dignitaries
The program began with the felicitation of all the dignitaries present, followed by a singing
performance by the students of Suren Das College and another vocal performance by Indrajit and
group, of our batch based on Legal Aid. This was succeeded by a Sattriya dance performance by
another student of Suren Das College.
After this, the inaugural speech was delivered by the Hon’ble Principal of Suren Das
College, Hajo, Assam who congratulated and welcomed everyone who was part of the event. He
addressed the issues the people living in rural areas face with regards to justice and people in
such areas lack knowledge of their basic privileges, rights and duties and how tremendously
important it is for legal aid to percolate in such areas. He also introduced the clinical legal aid
situated at NLUJA under the guidance of Dr. Himangshu Ranjan Nath and Mr. Saheb
Choudhury.
The Principal's address was succeeded by speech by Former Advocate General of Assam,
Shri Ramesh Borpatragohain, wherein he provided a thorough and concise explanation of legal
aid, emphasizing its accessibility for the destitute. He cited the example of the legal aid clinic at
the National Law University and Judicial Academy in Assam. He delved into the realm of cyber
crimes with a focus on transboundary offenses, highlighting how provisions in Article 51(c) and
253 protect against such crimes. Gohain discussed the rights and capabilities of informed
consumers in the era of consumerism. He praised the positive impact of the Legal Services
Authority in India, particularly in aiding the disadvantaged sections of the population. Sir
expressed appreciation for the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, emphasizing that individuals with
mental illness are not denied their right to justice. He elucidated the significance of the Essential
Commodities Act in regulating the trade and commerce of essential goods. Education and the
positive effects of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in India were also touched upon in his
speech. Gohain addressed the issue of delayed justice and underscored the crucial role of legal
aid in assisting the indigent. Overall, his speech primarily focused on the legal aspects and
emphasized the role of students in contributing to a crime-free society.
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4.2.2 Activities by Students
After honoring all the dignitaries with Gamusa and tokens of appreciation, they proceeded to
address the audience, emphasizing the significance of access to legal aid in the present age.
Following their speeches, it was the students' turn to share their perspectives with the audience in
the form of a skit- divided into 3 parts focusing on (1) Communal Violence (2) Acid Attack and
(3) Domestic Violence.
(1) Communal Violence - "इंसानियत का दीपक" (Light of Humanity)
This skit delves into the issue of communal violence, portraying the tensions between two
communities represented by Raj (a Hindu) and Sameera (a Muslim). Misunderstandings and
rumors escalate into a mob confrontation, with both sides blaming each other for desecrating
religious spaces. Amid the chaos, a wise elderly man steps in, urging everyone to reflect on their
shared humanity and unity as Indians. Through self-realization, Raj and Sameera understand
their prejudices and reconcile, leading their communities toward peace. The skit ends with a
symbolic act of lighting lamps together, reinforcing the message that India's true strength lies in
harmony and mutual respect.
(2) Acid Attack - "नई सब
ु ह" (New Dawn)
This skit focuses on the social issue of acid attacks. Aarti, a college student and victim of an acid
attack by Vijay, struggles with her self-esteem and emotional trauma. Supported by her friend
Manish and activist Neha, she regains her confidence and speaks out against the crime. The legal
system takes action as the perpetrator is arrested under stringent laws for acid attacks. The skit
concludes with Aarti addressing a crowd, emphasizing the importance of awareness, education,
and resilience in fighting such heinous crimes. The message inspires unity and determination to
prevent such incidents and support survivors.
(3) Domestic Violence - "चप्ु पी का अंत" (The End of Silence)
This skit highlights the issue of domestic violence through the story of Sandhya, a housewife,
and her abusive husband Rajesh. Despite enduring repeated abuse, Sandhya remains silent until
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her daughter Pail raises her voice and prompts her to seek help. With the support of a social
worker, Neha, and legal intervention, Rajesh is arrested, and Sandhya begins a new life with her
daughter. The skit ends with Sandhya spreading awareness about domestic violence, urging
women to break their silence and take a stand against abuse, reinforcing the message that
speaking out is the first step toward justice and change.
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5. OBSERVATION
The Legal Aid camp, which was held on December 10th, was very important for individuals who
didn't know their rights or how to defend them when they were violated. A crucial aspect of the
legal aid camp was the students' responsibility for observation. The initial focus was on
observing the audience's participation and their interaction with the articulate speakers. This
observation served as a clear indicator of the audience's willingness and curiosity to understand
their rights granted by the Constitution and law. Simultaneously, it revealed the widespread lack
of awareness among the masses about fundamental notions of justice, such as fundamental
rights.
As the skits unfolded, only a few faces appeared genuinely astonished upon learning
about various legal acts. Additionally, the realization that disputes related to certain issues in the
aforementioned cases do not necessarily require legal practitioners was impactful. The revelation
that individuals who cannot afford legal representation due to indigence can access legal aid and,
consequently, justice, left a lasting impression on the audience. It challenged their preconceived
belief that access to justice and legal representation was predominantly for the affluent and less
accessible to the indigent. While no notable dispute emerged from his perspective, the
noteworthy observations revolved around ignorance. This included a lack of awareness regarding
fundamental concepts, as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and declared a
fundamental right in a landmark judgment of the previous year. Furthermore, there was difficulty
in comprehending notions like wrongful confinement and the State's responsibility to provide
free legal aid, leaving the individual completely astounded. These observations underscored the
gaps in understanding and awareness regarding fundamental legal principles, emphasizing the
need for increased legal education and awareness. But, this was utterly displeasing to the
researcher because the ignorance of these rights at the grass-root level often affords an easy
opportunity to the public officials to be deep down in corruption and exploit the beneficial moves
of the government for their selfish interest. In this manner, numerous government policies,
despite their existence on paper and in theory, often fall short in ensuring that the intended
beneficiaries truly reap the benefits. Instead, these policies may be exploited by those who
wrongfully seize the rights meant for the targeted individuals.
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6. CONCLUSION & SUGGESTION
Although the outcome of legal aid camps cannot be measured right away after one event, it is
reasonable to assume that our legal aid camp was very effective. By means of multilingual
presentations given by our students, the speakers captivated the audience by clearly and
understandably expressing their opinions. Though the institution attracted students from all
across India, any linguistic hurdles with the residents of Gauhati, an Assamese area where most
spoke Assamese, were effectively resolved. The cooperative and amicable atmosphere of the
collegiate community guaranteed that language was not a barrier. Assamese, Hindi, and English
sensitising initiatives were carried out to accommodate the diverse language backgrounds.
It became clear from the legal aid camp that many individuals are ignorant of their legal
rights and the free legal aid available. Some of the legal realities shown shocked the viewers.
One of the main reasons the general people are reluctant to interact with the Indian court system
is ignorance of laws. This emphasises how urgently further awareness initiatives for Assam and
beyond are needed. Achieving intended objectives is difficult even with many legislative rules
and court decisions in place if people are not aware of the rights given to them.
Suggestions:
-More legal aid camps
Legal assistance camps are only useful if they are set up sincerely and consistently. Since the
field of law is somewhat large, it is highly necessary to establish additional legal aid camps to
handle more legal issues. To get any significant achievements, one must learn a really constant
and methodical approach.
-Overcoming the language obstacles
For the usual individual, knowing legal terminology and jargon might be difficult. Before they
are sent to inform the public, those running awareness campaigns must make sure they have
appropriate legal phrase training in local languages.
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-Previous campaigns
The audience was obviously mostly college students and law students who would have
previously been aware of most of their legal rights because the legal assistance camp was housed
at a university. Therefore, it is really essential to make a legal assistance camp more successful.
-Encouragement
Those engaged in awareness campaigns should be equipped to provide a setting where the public
feels comfortable bringing forth their legal concerns. It is crucial to emphasise that, when the
right processes are followed, getting justice is simple and reasonably affordable.
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