Ex-Press Council chief Katju feels totally isolated a month after he termed Gandhi British, Bose Japanese agent

Katju

By A Representative
Markandey Katju, former chairman of the Press Council of India, known for his penchant for controversial remarks, is a dejected man. In a statement he has posted on Facebook a month after he was criticized by Parliament for calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Subhas Chandra Bose a Japanese agent, Katju has admitted he is totally isolated, with no support from any quarter of India.
Titled “Condemned undefended and unheard”, Katju said in his post that both Houses of Parliament took exception to his statements on Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose without giving him “a hearing and an opportunity” to defend himself. He added, “The rules of natural justice, and elementary decency, require that no one should be condemned unheard. But I suppose that I did not deserve even that.”
Currently in US, Katju said, when he came to know of the resolutions against him, he sent emails to three of the top lawyers of India, who are practicing in the Supreme Court, requesting them to file writ petitions in the Supreme Court on his behalf, challenging these resolutions on the ground that they violated his “fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution.”
He said, “They violate Article 14 because it has been held by the Supreme Court in Maneka Gandhi vs.Union of India,A.I.R. 1978 SC 597 that violation of natural justice is violation of Article 14. They violate Article 19(1)(a) because that provision gives me freedom of speech. And they violate Article 21 because Article 21 has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to include the right to one's reputation.”
Despite this, he said, all three lawyers refused to stand by him. Without naming them, he said, “The first of these three lawyers sent this reply to me: 'I am sorry I cannot file this case as I am strongly of the view that you were totally wrong in saying what you said about Mahatma Gandhi. He rightly felt that Indians could not fight the mighty British through armed revolutionaries as they could be easily crushed by the British Army'.”
Katju further quotes the lawyer as saying, “He therefore developed the novel technique of Satyagraha which would by its force create a world opinion in favour of Indian independence.I have never accepted to argue a case in which my client was morally very wrong.Though I have always held you in high esteem as a crusader against corruption I am sorry I shall not be able to help you in this case."
Then, said Katju, “the second lawyer replied by refusing my request without giving any reason. The third did not even reply to my email. There was a fourth top lawyer of India whom i did not approach as he had already condemned me by tweeting against me on the issue.”
Totally isolated, Katju said, he has decided to defend himself, seeking a “post-decisional hearing from Parliament”. For this, he has obtained the email ids of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Hamid Ansari, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan, and sent them emails requesting for a hearing by both Houses.” Despite this, he said, none of the two showed him "the courtesy of a reply."

“Will no one defend me? And will I not even be allowed to defend myself?”, he wondered.
"I submit that Gandhi was objectively a British agent who did great harm to India," Justice Katju had said in his blog a month ago, adding, "By constantly injecting religion into politics continuously for several decades, Gandhi furthered the British policy of divide and rule."
Katju also described Netaji as a "Japanese agent" and said, "In fact Bose was being used by the Japanese, and they would have bumped him off the moment his utility for them was over. He was no doubt a brave and personally honest man, but he had become an agent of Japanese fascism."
One who is known for comments landing him into controversies, recently he said he would defy cow slaughter ban in Maharashtra by eating beef.. In January was criticized on the social media as a sexist for his tweet that the BJP should have made Shazia Ilmi its chief ministerial candidate for the Delhi as she is "more beautiful."

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Search This Blog