Recently retired Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Markandey Katju, has once again appealed to the Indian Government to release the elderly Pakistani national Dr Khalil Chishty who is in Ajmer Jail.
Justice Katju, who has recently been appointed Chairman, Press Council of India, was speaking to journalists at his residence in New Delhi on Oct 10, 2011, at a get together over high tea. After discussing media ethics at some length Justice Katju asked the media to help society “by attacking feudal ideas e.g. casteism and communalism and promoting modern scientific ideas.”
Before concluding his address, Justice Katju again raised the issue of Dr Chishty, stressing his age – about 80 years old – and expressing his apprehension that the “eminent virologist” from Karachi Medical College and a Ph.D from Edinburgh University, does not have very long to live.
“He is a heart patient and has many other ailments also. He is unable to walk. In the name of humanity I appeal to the Indian Government to release him and allow him to get back to home in Karachi to his wife and daughter who live there. The Pakistan Government honoured my appeal and released Gopal Das from a Pakistani Jail. I am sad that the Indian Government has not yet honoured my appeal made several months ago to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Hon’ble Home Minister, and His Excellency the Governor of Rajasthan. In my opinion, the prestige of our country will be increased if Dr Chishty is released, whereas if he dies in jail, we will be disgraced.”
Justice Katju said that he planned to organise such informal gatherings periodically, in order to discuss issues related to the media, with representatives from the print and electronic media. “The Press Council of India Act does not cover electronic media, but surely there is nothing wrong in discussing matters relating to media with them also. After all, the ultimate purpose of the print media and the electronic media is the same, and journalistic ethics apply to both.”
Guests present at the gathering included Union Minister for Parliamentary affairs Rajeev Shukla, and senior journalists like Vinod Mehta (Editor of Outlook magazine), Paranjoy Guha Thakurta as well as representatives of various television channels. Rajeev Shukla said that he would convey Justice Katju’s appeal for release of Dr Chishty to the Union Government.
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