Amity Law School at Amity University Punjab proudly organized a thought-provoking lecture by Dr. Virendra Kumar, Professor Emeritus in Law at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on the topic "Right to Freedom of Religion & the Imperatives of Secular State under the Indian Constitution: A juristic critique with special reference to deeply divided Division Bench judgment of the Supreme Court on the issue of Hijab controversy in Aishat Shifa case (2022)".
Dr. Virendra Kumar, a trailblazer in the field of law, shared his profound insights with students and esteemed dignitaries during the lecture. As the first Asian to qualify for a Doctoral of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) at the University of Toronto in 1973, Dr. Kumar brings decades of expertise and scholarly rigor to the legal discourse.
The lecture was attended by distinguished personalities including Vice Admiral Raman Puri (retd), RN Prasher IAS (former Home Secretary, Chandigarh), Prof Brij Kishore Kuthiala (former Chairman, Haryana State Higher Education Council), Siddharth Chattopadhyay IPS (retd), former DGP Punjab, Prof Alok Shrivastava (retd) Nuclear Chemist, KK Agnihotri (Vice Chair, Haryana State Higher Education Council), Prof. Bhattar Sheshadri (Narsee Monjee), Rakesh Gulleria (Secretary, Youth4Nation Punjab Chandigarh chapter), Arvind Tripathi (General Secretary, Youth4Nation Foundation), and the esteemed Vice Chancellor Dr. R K Kohli.
During his address, Dr. Virendra Kumar posed thought-provoking questions about the intersection of the right to religion and the principles of a secular state. Drawing upon his extensive experience, he critically examined landmark decisions of the Honorable Supreme Court, including cases such as the Sabarimala Temple case, Ayodhya Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid case, and the Hijab controversy case. Dr. Kumar's analysis shed light on the complexities surrounding religious symbols and their implications on constitutional rights.
The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, who engaged in an interactive discussion during the question and answer round. Dr. Virendra Kumar also shared invaluable insights on the art of critique, leaving the audience enlightened and inspired.