Srinagar, Jan 28 (KNS): Formers Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir Justice Bashir Ahmad Khan Thursday condoled the sad demise of Krishna Dev Sethi who passed away this morning at his Jammu residence.
In a statement to news agency KNS, Justice Bashir Ahmad said that he has a long association with Sethi and he was grieved on the passing away of Krishna Dev Sethi whom they would fondly call “Baday Sethi Sb.”
“I had a long association with him dating back to my struggling days when I became a participant in” Sethi sb’s Darbars, which he would hold every evening in the office chambers of Kashmir Times chief Mr. Ved Bhasin. It was a mini club of sorts with few members most of whom would religiously attend to listen to Sethi Sb’s experiences of bygone days in the political and social field and his lament on current state of affair.”
He said that Sethi sahab’s evening sessions would suffer a break and shift to former CM Mufti sahab’s place when he was in town and whether in or out of power.
“As a junior member I would mostly remain an observer and go through a learning process watching them debate politics and differing on strategies. Heated arguments would sometimes be exchanged with Sethi sb always in command uncompromising on his principled stands. Sethi sb would sometimes sound outdated but he would hold on to his conviction based sway arising from his long struggle in political & social field.”
Justice Bashir said that Sethi sahab would very often reminisce missionary politics of good old days and feel anguished and disturbed on the current happenings and the ways political power had become an instrument for self-gain.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“He would always call a spade a spade and would openly disapprove of some of the actions of Mufti Sb even after rating him as best in business by his standards.”
“Sethi Sb was public service spirited missionary, a rebel political worker who had gone through agitations and struggles in promotion of public cause. He preferred to be on the sidelines later and play role of a political watcher because he believed that current brand of politics was not his cup of tea. Even so he continued to plough his lonely furrow by expressing his views in his monthly journal and through his small political outfit.”
He said that Sethi Sb was often regarded as ideologue of sorts and many in political and social field would seek his guidance and blessings.
“Sethi Sb belonged to a rare species of honest and missionary compassionate social workers. For him, politics was a means to do public good and not self-aggrandizement. Alas this type of specie is becoming rarer by the day.”
He said that at personal level, Sethi Sb had some kind of fondness for him at the cost of a huge attachment for his younger brother justice Ram Sethi. “Two brothers had a special relationship with Ram regarding him as some kind of a demigod & yet elder brother mincing no words to point to his shortcomings.”
“For me Sethi Sb’ death is a personal loss. I could not enjoy his company for quite sometime because of his failing health. His death has dissolved the mini Club, which he would patronize and left behind a huge vacuum for his friends and fans and members of his family. May God rest his soul in peace,” he said. (KNS)