Meghwal referenced the poem Rashmirathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, which portrays the story of Karna from the Mahabharata. He recalled how Lord Krishna attempted to mediate between the Pandavas and Kauravas to prevent the impending war by urging Duryodhan to compromise. However, Duryodhan rejected Krishna’s proposal, ultimately leading to the Kurukshetra war.
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, recently noted that Lord Krishna could be seen as the first arbitrator during the launch of a new Arbitration Centre at the Kerala High Court on August 17.
Meghwal referenced the poem Rashmirathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, which portrays the story of Karna from the Mahabharata. He recalled how Lord Krishna attempted to mediate between the Pandavas and Kauravas to prevent the impending war by urging Duryodhan to compromise. However, Duryodhan rejected Krishna’s proposal, ultimately leading to the Kurukshetra war.
Meghwal highlighted Krishna’s role in attempting to negotiate peace, stating,
“You could consider Lord Krishna as the first mediator or arbitrator when the Pandavas and Kauravas were in dispute. Krishna proposed a resolution that Duryodhan could neither provide nor gain society’s approval. Instead, he tried the impossible by attempting to blind the divine.”
Meghwal quoted verses from Rashmirathi, illustrating Krishna’s advice to Duryodhan:
“Do Nyaay agar toh aadha do; Par isme bhi yadi badha ho, toh de do keval panch gram; Rakho apni dharti thamaam, hum wahi khushi se khayenge; Parijan par asi na uthayenge; Duryodhan wah bhi na de saka.”
(Translation: If justice is to be done, give it in part; and if there is still an obstacle, give only five grams of land. You can keep the rest of your land, and we will live there happily without raising our swords against our kin. Yet, even that Duryodhan could not give.)
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Meghwal emphasized that this example of Krishna’s conflict resolution underscored the value of accepting small compromises to avoid greater disputes. He further elaborated on the government’s dedication to arbitration as an effective solution for reducing the backlog of cases in courts.
Highlighting recent legislative efforts, Meghwal discussed key amendments made to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act in 2015, 2019, and 2021, aimed at speeding up proceedings, enhancing institutional arbitration, and minimizing reliance on ad-hoc arbitration.
The Arbitration Centre, launched during the event, aims to address the increasing judicial backlog by offering a quicker, more cost-efficient avenue for dispute resolution. Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, A. Muhamed Mustaque, inaugurated a dedicated website for the Centre, calling the occasion a significant milestone for the judiciary in Kerala.
During his keynote address, Justice Mustaque stressed the importance of arbitration, urging that private disputes be resolved outside of the courts, which would allow the judiciary to focus on broader public interests.
He further encouraged both Central and State governments to refer their disputes to the new Arbitration Centre, noting the complexity and volume of evidence involved in legal cases under the Evidence Act, which often leads to delays in adjudication.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Justices Dinesh Kumar Singh and PB Sureshkumar, Senior Advocates Anil Xavier and KL Varghese, Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association President Yeshwanth Shenoy, Bar Council of Kerala Chairman Ajith TS, State Attorney N Manoj Kumar, Additional Solicitor General of India ARL Sundaresan, Member of Parliament Hibi Eden, and other Kerala High Court judges.
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