Ram Jethmalani was feared and respected for his candour on political matters | The Indian Express

Ram Jethmalani was feared and respected for his candour on political matters | The Indian Express

Written by Tahir Mahmood |Updated: September 10, 2019 10:24:07 am

The writer is distinguished jurist chair and professor of eminence, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Amity University.

Ram Jethmalani was feared and respected for his candour on political matters

For those interested in hearing from the horse’s mouth the story of Ram’s successes and failures, he has left behind two books, which are partly in the nature of memoirs. The first of these, curiously titled Conscience of a Maverick, was published in 2007. Seven years later, to counter criticism, he wrote another book, Maverick Unchanged, Unrepentant.

In the legal profession, Ram Jethmalani earned fame for defending all sorts of people — politicians, scamsters, alleged criminals and many others.

My nonagenarian friend Ram Jethmalani has passed into life hereafter. We had known each other for over four decades and had very different views on many matters of national importance. At academic seminars, meetings and workshops we differed — always in a highly civilised manner — on nuances of legal issues, especially those with political overtones. These interactions usually ended with an agreement to disagree.