By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Justice (retired)Markandey Katju, former Supreme Court Judge and current Chairman of Press Council of India, has a written a letter to the Defence Minister AK Antony and Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shivappa Shettar requesting them to reinstate Aijaz Ahmed Mirza, a DRDO scientist from Bengaluru, who was sacked after his arrest six months ago. He has now been acquitted from all terror charges.
Justice Katju wrote, “I would request to you look into this matter immediately, and if it is true that there is no evidence against Aijaz Ahmed Mirza, he should be reinstated forthwith on the post he was holding before he was sacked, otherwise a wrong message will be sent throughout the country that Muslims are terrorists and are fair game for being persecuted and victimized by the communal forces.”
He added, “l request you ensure that apart from reinstating him, adequate compensation is awarded to him by the Central/State Government and an open apology is issued by the Central/State Government to Aijaz Ahmed.”
File photo of Justice (retired)Markandey Katju
Justice Katju had issued a press note on March 6 on “false implication of Muslims in cases of bomb blasts,” in relation to the Hyderabad twin blasts after the National Commission of Minorities Chairman Wajahat Habibullha had written to him seeking intervention in preventing media from castigating a particular community.
He had observed, “It is indeed unfortunate that in recent years an impression has been sought to be created by certain communal elements that all Muslims are terrorists, and Muslims are often discriminated in our country in getting jobs, bank loans, houses on rent etc as mentioned in the Sachar Committee Report.”
Justice Katuj has hence appealed to the “people of India, and particularly to the media, to avoid doing anything which may fan or promote communal hatred and animosity, and exercise restraint in reporting cases of bomb blasts and other terrorist activities.”
Shortly, after he became Chairman of the PCI, in a TV interview with Karan Thapar, he had mentioned how within an hour or so of a bomb blast many TV channels start showing on their screens that an e-mail or SMS has been received from the Indian Mujahidin, Jaish-e- Mohammed, Harkatuljibad-e-Islam or some other organisations having a Muslim name, claiming responsibility, calling it irresponsible on the part of the media because any mischievous person can send such an e-mail or SMS, and it is not even necessary that the sender is a Muslim.