When Mohit Chauhan & Justice Kurian Joseph Sang 'We Shall Overcome' For Kerala Flood Victims

It was not something that you get to see every day, one of the top jurists in the country singing on a stage. Not that they don't sing or they are not allowed to, but you don't see that very often.

Monday was an exemption, when Justice Kurian Joseph, one of the senior most judges of the Supreme Court stood next to Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan on the stage.

And together they sang "We shall overcome," in solidarity with the lakhs of flood victims in Kerala as the crowd joined in the chorus.

PTI

The cultural event was organized as the fundraiser to support and rebuild the flood-ravaged state.

The programme which was held at the the auditorium of Indian Society for International Law, opposite the Supreme Court complex was also attended by the likes of Chief Justice of India, Justice Deepak Mishra, Justice Rajendra Menon, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and other senior judges and lawyers.

BCCL

While Mohit Chauhan was the star attraction of the event, the loudest cheers went to Justice KM Joseph, the former Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice who was recently appointed a judge of the SC.

Justice Joseph, who hails from Kerala took an 'anticipatory bail' by admitting that he was not a singer but took the audience by surprise as he sang a Malayalam film song, as a tribute to the Kerala fishermen who became the unlikely heroes during the recent floods by saving thousands of lives.

PTI

As Justice Joseph completed the song, the crowd erupted in appreciation and gave him a standing ovation. He then followed it with an old Hindi film song which also was highly appreciated by the gathering.

Earlier Chauhan, said his heart bleeds for displaced, rendered homeless and forced to take refuge in relief camps. Many have lost their lives. Many pets and strays have been stranded in flooded homes and many others have been abandoned. He also urged people to generously contribute to the rebuilding of the state.

More than Rs 10 lakh was collected during the event.

M Unnikrishnan, one of the organizers said the idea to hold a cultural event as a fundraiser came up during a conversation between friends. After the idea got support from other journalists who report the Supreme Court, judges, and lawyers, they even dropped the traditional Onam celebration to support the cause.

CJI Justice Mishra who was the chief guest said ¡°Some may feel this is a celebration because there are different performances. I would like to say this is a consolidated effort of spending energy to raise the contribution to a noble cause. Energy spent is energy gained.¡±

PTI

Justice Mishra who had previously too made a continuation to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund made another donation on Monday.

Justice Kurian Joseph told the gathering that the journalists and lawyers in Delhi had previously collected 8 truckloads of relief materials for the flood affected in Kerala and for the next batch the aim was to send an entire train loaded with essentials, which will be dispatched on Thursday.

More than 300 people have been killed and over 12 lakh others have been displaced in the deadliest flood to hit Kerala in nearly a century. While the rehabilitation process is still on, more than 3 lakh people who lost their homes in the deluge are still in relief camps.