As Katju, the BJP and the Congress continue their war of words, let's take a look at the many times the PCI chief has bravely shared his insightful opinions with the Indian public.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India appointed former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju as the head of a four-member legal panel to help the BCCI understand the implications of the Justice Lodha Committee reforms, which have been made mandatory by the apex court.
"Discrimination" against Muslims is giving rise to a feeling of injustice among them, Press Council Chairman Markanedya Katju on Sunday claimed and rebuked the media for what he described as "demonising" Muslim community through "irresponsible" journalism.
Leader of opposition Arun Jaitley on why Justice Markandey Katju must quit as the Chairman of the Press Council of India
Former Supreme Court Justice Markandey Katju has already prepared a first interim report on behalf of the Board of Control for Cricket in India based on the Justice Lodha panel recommendations, which is now binding after the Supreme Court verdict on July 18.
Katju's letter comes close on the heels of a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejecting the plea of Bhullar, a Khalistani terrorist and death row convict Bhullar in a judgment that paves the way for his execution.
Press Council Chief Justice Markandey Katju on Saturday urged Parliament to refer the Lokpal Bill to a Standing Committee for further consideration so that a workable corruption investigation machinery can be created. In its present state, the Bill can create a parallel bureaucracy that could turn into a "Frankenstein monster" and double or triple corruption, he said in a statement.
Salman Rushdie is a "poor" and "sub-standard writer" who would have remained largely unknown but for his controversial book The Satanic Verses, according to Markandey Katju, till recently a judge of the Supreme Court.
Press Council Chairman Justice Markandey Katju, who faced a walk out by four publisher members from its meeting on Thursday, has maintained that his controversial remarks were not directed against the entire media but only about a majority.
Launching a fresh attack on Press Council of India chairperson Markandey Katju, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said the former Supreme Court judge was expressing "unsolicited and bizarre" opinions against non-Congress ruled states and demanded that he step down.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Monday hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley for his criticism of Press Council of India Chief Markandey Katju over Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, calling it "unnecessary and outlandish".
Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju on Tuesday credited the country's progress to its secular and diversified system which unified people of different religions, languages and cultures.
A leading Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue on Tuesday backed Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju's reported observation that 'Pakistan is an artificial nation and a failed state' but said it was difficult to accept his entire views on the subject made during a lecture in Thiruvananthapuram.
Following the upholding of the sentencing of film star Sanjay Dutt to five years imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 1993 Mumbai blasts case, Press Council of India chief Justice Markandey Katju has appealed to Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan to pardon the actor.
Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju, who is spearheading efforts to seek pardon for 1993 Mumbai blast convicts Sanjay Dutt and Zaibunnisa Kazi, has sought suspension of their jail sentences.
Two youths from Lucknow have sent a legal notice to chairperson of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju for his remarks that 90 per cent of Indians were idiots.
The Editors Guild on Tuesday termed as "ill-considered" the comments made by the new Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju against the media and vowed to oppose any move by it to assume "draconian" powers and bring the electronic media under its ambit.
Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said on Friday that a three-member PCI team would be sent to Bihar soon for an investigation into harassment of media in the state by Bihar government.
Notwithstanding actor Sanjay Dutt's statement that he would not apply for mercy, Press Council of India chairman Justice (retd) Markandey Katju today said that he would still go ahead and seek pardon for Dutt and 1993 Mumbai blasts case convict Zaibunnisa.
Dismissive about the self-regulatory mechanism proposed by the broadcast media, Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju on Wednesday insisted they must come under some regulatory authority that could be of its choice.
Cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar should not be honoured with the Bharat Ratna as the demand to give the award to filmstars and cricket players spoke of 'the low cultural level', Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said on Saturday.
Justifying his decision to appoint a panel on fixing minimum qualification for journalists, Press Council Chairman Markandey Katju on Friday said the aim was not to "muzzle" the media but to improve the standards as there are a lot of "mediocre" professionals in the field.
Press Council Chairperson Markandey Katju has demanded that the government reinstate Defence Research and Development Organisation scientist Aijaz Ahmed Mirza who was arrested on terror charges but released on bail as the National Investigation Agency did not file a chargesheet against him.
Without naming Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju who had criticised Bihar Chief Minister on Friday, Nitish Kumar on Saturday said some people were moving in the state like the 'Ramayana's character 'Kalnemi' to turn a vibrant atmosphere of the state into gloom.
Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju has once again appealed to the president and the prime minister of Pakistan to release Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who is on death row for over two decades.
Press Council chief Justice Markandey Katju, who has requested Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan to pardon Sanjay Dutt in an arms case related to the 1993 Mumbai blasts, on Friday said he was lending his support to the Bollywood actor only on humanitarian grounds.
Attacking Salman Rushdie, Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju on Monday said that the "sensationalism" depicted by his book Satanic Verses has deeply hurt Muslim sensitivities and that an individual's freedom of speech has to harmonised with the public interest.
The Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju has said that social networking sites like Facebook and Google should be ready to face legal action on failure to remove objectionable content uploaded on them.
Chairman of the Press Council of India, Justice Markandey Katju, on Friday said that he was personally in favour of scrapping the sedition law. He also alleged that those who had slapped sedition charges had indulged in a serious offence and were liable to face criminal proceedings.
Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju has trashed the "sons-of-the-soil" theory, saying people propagating such concept should be ostracised.
Noting the country is passing through a transitional phase, Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju on Monday said social activist Anna Hazare and Yoga Guru Ramdev's crusade against corruption is nothing but an empty gas.
After seeking pardon for actor Sanjay Dutt convicted in a 1993 Mumbai blast case, Press Council of India chairperson Justice Markandey Katju on Wednesday said he would now appeal to the President to grant pardon to another convict Zaibunissa on humanitarian grounds.
Press Council of India chairperson justice Markandey Katju on Saturday said that the only solution to the Kashmir problem is the reunification of India and Pakistan under a strong government which will not tolerate bigotry.
Days after the Supreme Court gave nod to Pakistani prisoner Khalil Chishti to visit his country, Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju has appealed to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to grant freedom to Sarabjit Singh, who is lodged in a jail there. In a letter addressed to Zardari, he said, "The Indian Supreme Court had recently allowed Chishti to go back to Pakistan. I, therefore, appeal to you in the name of humanity to release Sarabjit Singh," he wrote.
Pakistan is "a fake country", and one day will reunite with India along with Bangladesh, Press Council of India chairperson Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju said in Hyderabad.
"We are all human beings and we all make mistakes. In my opinion, the appropriate order would have been to give a severe warning to the TV channel to be careful in future," Press Council Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said, addressing a seminar on the occassion of the National Press Day.
Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju on Monday demanded "immediate" action against police personnel for reportedly arresting a woman in Mumbai protesting the shutdown in the city on Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's demise on social networking site Facebook.
Press Council of India chairperson Justice Markandey Katju may soon write a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking that actor Sanjay Dutt and 1993 Mumbai blasts accused Zaibunissa are not sent to jail till his application seeking pardon for them is considered.
In an unprecedented order, the Supreme Court on Monday summoned one of its former judges, Markandey Katju, to appear in person before it to point out the "fundamental flaws", as claimed by him in the sensational Soumya rape case.
In controversial remarks, Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju on Tuesday said that giving Bharat Ratna to cricketers and film stars, who have "no social relevance", is making a "mockery" of the award.
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