Law Must Restore the Human Mind, Not Lose It to Machines: Attorney General R. Venkataramani at Vidhi Utsav

At a time when legal discourse is increasingly shaped by technology, global inequality, and ideological contestation, Attorney General R. Venkataramani offered a reflective and deeply philosophical intervention on the relationship between law, humanity, and justice, urging the legal fraternity to reclaim a human-centric vision of justice rooted in responsibility and ethical consciousness.

Speaking at Vidhi Utsav, The festival of Law, Justice, Legal Literature, Knowledge and Thought Leadership, Venkataramani departed from conventional legal rhetoric, turning instead to literature, poetry, and civilisational thought to frame his argument that law cannot be divorced from the deeper moral and intellectual traditions that shape society.

Opening his address with a meditation on the role of literature, the Attorney General drew parallels between legal principles and classical works, noting that texts such as the Ramayana, Shakespearean plays, and Milton’s writings are imbued with questions of law and justice. Literature, he suggested, is not merely creative expression but a reflection of the principles that govern human life and social order. By invoking this connection, he positioned law as an evolving narrative of human experience rather than a rigid system of rules.

In a striking departure from formal speech, Venkataramani read out his poem titled “Modern Theft,” using it as a metaphor to critique the growing dominance of technology over human attention and cognition. He warned that digital ecosystems driven by endless scrolling, curated content, and algorithmic engagement are eroding the capacity for independent thought. This “theft,” he argued, is not of material wealth but of the human mind itself, raising fundamental concerns about freedom and autonomy in contemporary society. The loss of reflective thinking, he implied, poses a direct challenge to the pursuit of justice, which depends on reasoned deliberation and moral clarity.

The Attorney General then turned to Indian philosophical traditions, particularly the concept of dharma, as a foundational framework for understanding law and justice. He emphasised that ancient Indian thought approached questions of life, governance, and social order through the lens of responsibility and ethical conduct. This principle, he argued, remains relevant in contemporary constitutional governance, where the rule of law must be guided by moral responsibility rather than mere procedural compliance.

Engaging with modern challenges, Venkataramani identified fairness, equality, liberty, and social peace as the core threads of legal discourse. He described these values as interdependent, cautioning that privileging one at the expense of others could lead to social fragmentation. In a plural and unequal society like India, he noted, the pursuit of equality and justice is inherently complex, requiring constant negotiation and institutional evolution. Yet, he warned against reducing these ideals to abstract debates detached from individual responsibility.

While acknowledging the progress made towards greater equality, he underscored that structural reforms alone cannot address the deeper ethical dimensions of justice. The question, he suggested, is not merely about redistributing resources but about fostering a culture of responsibility and participation.

A significant portion of his address focused on the limitations of ideological frameworks, including both free-market capitalism and state-driven socialism. Venkataramani argued that these systems often fail to account for the complexities of human nature and moral agency. Legal and political institutions, he said, cannot achieve their objectives unless individuals themselves internalise values of fairness, restraint, and respect for others’ rights. Without this ethical foundation, even the most well-designed legal systems risk perpetuating inequality and injustice.

Reflecting on his own experiences as a law student, the Attorney General illustrated the enduring difficulty of translating abstract ideals into practical realities. Questions of how to ensure equality, who monitors fairness, and where the limits of liberty lie remain unresolved, he noted, emphasising that these are not merely legal questions but deeply human ones. Law, in this sense, becomes an ongoing process of balancing competing claims and aspirations.

Venkataramani concluded by situating law within the broader quest for peace, asserting that justice cannot exist in a world marked by conflict and violence. In a poignant poetic reflection on war and human suffering, he called for a collective commitment to peace, arguing that law must ultimately serve as an instrument for harmony rather than division. The responsibility, he stressed, lies not only with institutions but with individuals who must actively uphold the values that sustain a just society.

Event Name: Vidhi Utsav, The festival of Law, Justice, Legal Literature, Knowledge and Thought Leadership

Event Date: March 28, 2026