Tag: Markandey Katju

My reply to Moeed Pirzada By Justice Katju

Apart from that, Gandhi also acted as a British agent by diverting the Indian independence struggle from the revolutionary direction of armed struggle which great freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Surya Sen, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bismil, Ashfaqulla etc were taking it, to the harmless channel of gimmicks like satyagrah, hunger strike, etc. 

Pakistan needs to emulate India in changing its laws

We respectfully submit that many of the changes brought about by the BNS in India  e.g. providing for community service as a punishment for certain offences, or decriminalization of attempt to suicide ( except in certain situations) should be welcomed as steps in the right direction, and should be emulated in Pakistan

Why I stayed deportation of Pakistanis By Justice Katju

Now the Allahabad High Court has a heavy pendency of cases ( over a million ). Consequently, a case heard on a certain day usually comes up for the next hearing after 4-5 years. So the result of my orders in these cases was that in substance by judicial orders I converted one month visas into 4-5 years visas. Why did I do this ? Now that the matter is old I can reveal the real reason.

The inane and superficial minds of so-called ‘intellectuals’ of the Indian subcontinent

In the Indian subcontinent democracy can only mean a government for the people, not of or by the people, that is, a government which works for the welfare of the people. Such a government has never existed in India, since our politicians only seek power and pelf ( for which they polarize society on caste and communal lines by inciting hatred ), and have no genuine love for the people. 

International Day to combat Islamophobia

Some may argue that these demands equate to the abolition of Islam itself, but this is not true. I do not advocate for banning core Islamic practices, such as attending mosques, offering Namaz, going on Haj, observing Roza during Ramadan, celebrating Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, or taking out Muharram processions. 

Why I call 90% Indians as fools

Many people of a particular caste regard people of other castes as their enemies, e.g. many Kammas in Andhra Pradesh regard Reddys as their enemies and vice versa, many Lingayats in Karnataka regard Vokkaligas as their enemies, and vice versa, many Yadavs in UP regard Kurmis as their enemies ( though both castes are OBCs ), and vice versa, dalits regard upper castes as enemies, being oppressors, etc

Justice Katju’s appeal to Muslims and other non-Hindus on Holi

On this occasion I appeal to Muslims and other non-Hindus, particularly in Pakistan and Bangladesh, to celebrate it along with their Hindu brothers and sisters with great gaiety and enthusiasm. 

Upto 1857 there was no communal problem in the Indian subcontinent. There were no communal riots before 1857, and Hindus and Muslims used to live together amicably, like brothers and sisters. They would help each other, and participate in each other’s religious festivals and occasions, Hindus participating in Eid and Moharram, and Muslims participating in Holi and Diwali.

Those who have not seen Braj ki Holi have not seen India

 There is a square open place there , surrounded by walls. My wife and I went on the first floor of a building, and saw the event from there. Everywhere colour was being thrown, blue, green, yellow and red. The men folk were in the centre of the square, and the womenfolk tore the upper garments of the menfolk, dipped them in coloured water, which was all around, and beat the menfolk with those torn clothes. Perhaps this was symbolic of women  returning what they got from their men during the rest of the 364 days in the year !

‘Ramadan and my one day roza’ By Justice Katju

Islam and Prophet Mohammed have often been misunderstood. Islam came in the world as a great liberating force, as it spread the great message of equality. It gave social emancipation to the suppressed sections of society ( e.g. dalits in India ), and that is why Islam spread from Spain to Indonesia. 

International Women’s Day is a gimmick

The great Tamil poet  Subramania Bharati ( 1882-1921 ) wrote (around 1908-1910) powerful verses in favour of women’s emancipation, at a time when probably no one in India, or even in the World, even thought of women’s emancipation, and thus he was far ahead of his times :

Hindi is not the common man’s language By Justice Katju

Once when I was a judge in Allahabad High Court a lawyer who would always argue in Hindi presented a petition before me titled ‘ Pratibhu Avedan Patra ‘. I asked the lawyer what ‘Pratibhu’ meant. He said it meant bail. I told him he should have called it bail or ‘zamaanat’ which everybody understood, instead of calling it Pratibhu which no one understands.

Understanding the Middle East conflict By Justice Katju

But the Holocaust was committed by Germans and their European collaborators, not by Palestinian Arabs. Why should the latter have been punished for crimes committed by the former ? The establishment of Israel led to the Nakba–an Exodus and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who were subjected to horrible atrocities

Trump is right By Justice Katju

NATO was an organization of Western powers, headed by USA, which was created after the end of the Second World War to prevent expansion of the Soviet Union into Western Europe by armed force. But with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,and end of the Cold War, NATO should have been scrapped, as its very raison d:etre had come to an end. Now there was no more threat of Soviet expansionism, since there was no more Soviet Union. 

Justice with Urdu By Justice Katju

There are tens of thousands of Urdu verses, by hundreds of Urdu poets. A sher ( couplet ) or nazm ( poem ) to be appropriately quoted in a judgment should be ‘mauzu’ ( in Hindi ‘praasangik’ ) i.e. pertinent and befitting to the context. One cannot quote any verse in any judgment at random. If quoted appropriately it gives beauty and depth to the judgment, by highlighting some idea or emotion, to make it touching, and giving it poignancy. I tried to do this in my judgments, which can all be seen online.

The Song of the Stormy Petrel  

In 1901 Russia was under the despotic and autocratic rule of Czar Nicholas II. There was a strict press censorship, and it was dangerous to criticise the Czar or the government directly, so writers had to write allegorically and symbolically ( just as the Urdu poet Faiz had to do during the martial law regime in Pakistan ).

The claims about AI are grossly exaggerated

Justice Katju critiques the overhyped narrative surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI), arguing that its portrayal as a revolutionary solution to global issues is exaggerated. While acknowledging AI’s utility in fields like medicine, he contends it fails to address core socio-economic challenges—poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, and inadequate healthcare—plaguing underdeveloped nations. Katju asserts AI lacks human creativity, essential for solving these problems, and may reinforce inequality by benefiting tech elites. He views AI as a distraction, akin to historical diversions like Roman circuses, unable to deliver systemic change without a people’s revolution. The piece calls for disillusionment from AI’s inflated promises.

Why is China far ahead of India economically ? 

Complete destruction of feudalism and freedom from foreign interference is essential for the rapid economic growth of a country. This was achieved by the leaders who came to power in China in 1949. Landlordism was totally eradicated, and the ‘Unequal Treaties’ which the imperialist foreign countries had forced the Chinese to sign, were scrapped. 

My interaction with a Pakistani lady By Justice Katju

The fact that he is unusual is the reason he is noticed by the public and he has a track record as a philanthropist and an upright leader with integrity spanning some 30-40 years. The masses appreciate bravery even though it is foolish specially when it comes from someone who has stood by them on the ground, most notably in providing free healthcare in a country where doctors usually advise to let the patient die because it is a matter of spending money on a patient who is going to die anyway due to advanced age or lack of financial means. 

Release of Imran Khan By Justice Katju

Imran Khan foolishly took cudgels with the American Government, not realising that America controls Pakistan through the Pakistan army. The Pakistan army rules Pakistan, and US Govt controls the Pak army, as the generals of the Pak army are beholden to the US Govt in various ways. 

My reply to fans of Imran Khan By Justice Katju

Justice Katju defends his critique of Imran Khan, despite backlash from supporters. Initially praising Khan for challenging Pakistan’s military establishment, Katju points out Khan’s compromises with corrupt politicians, religious extremists, and the army for political gain. He criticizes Khan’s dictatorial tendencies, economic mismanagement, and regressive social views, like endorsing gender discrimination and cultural excuses for crime. Katju argues that Khan, while personally honest, lacks solutions for Pakistan’s core issues: poverty, unemployment, healthcare, and education. He likens the public’s adoration for Khan to children following the Pied Piper, suggesting a blind following without critical evaluation.

Ranveer Allahbadia and Freedom of Speech By Justice Katju

Ranveer Allahabadia’s recent controversial statements have sparked debate on freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. Despite this right, Article 19(2) allows for restrictions in the interest of decency and morality. His remarks, considered indecent in the Indian context, were criticized for promoting a misguided view of sexuality akin to the discredited ‘Glass of Water’ theory by Alexandra Kollontai. Lenin critiqued this theory for its potential to distract from revolutionary goals. Thus, while freedom of speech is paramount, cultural and moral considerations must also guide its exercise in India.