NEW DELHI, Feb 18:
Sparring between BJP and Congress today intensified over Markandey Katju’s controversial remarks against Narendra Modi and subsequently Arun Jaitley, as the opposition party demanded dismissal of the Press Council chairman.
Rejecting the BJP’s demand, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh jumped to Katju’s defence, saying he had always been impartial and wondered whether Jaitley was reacting in this manner because he “owed” his Rajya Sabha seat to Gujarat Chief Minister Modi.
Upping the ante against the PCI chief, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha accused Katju of “crossing the red lines repeatedly” and not using the language befitting a former judge.
“Katju has been crossing the red lines repeatedly through his various press statements. What kind of judge Katju was I don’t know but I am convinced he does not deserve to be the chairman of an important body like the Press Council of India.
“He should be dismissed immediately. There is no point in asking for his resignation. Secondly, he has no business interfering in politics. Press Council chairman is not going to determine who is going to be the Prime Minister of this country,” Sinha said.
Katju and Jaitley had yesterday engaged in a spat over the former’s article in newspaper which criticised Modi.
“This is not the part of his jurisdiction. What he has done is that he has confused his personal opinion, with that of the PCI chairman, therefore he does not deserve to hold the office of the PCI chairman,” Sinha said wondering “what does he mean by writing the most objectionable article against Narendra Modi.”
Digvijay Singh, however, dismissed Jaitley’s stringent criticism of Katju asking, “Is it because he owes his Rajya Sabha seat to Mr Narendra Modi, that Mr Arun Jaitley feels that he should defend Mr Narendra Modi? I think Mr Arun Jaitley should not comment like this, it is unbecoming of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.”
Slamming Jaitley for his “venomous” attack on the PCI chairman, Digvijay Singh said that Katju had always been impartial and at the same time very sensitive to the people’s cause.
“Why did Mr Arun Jaitley keep quiet when he brought out the issues against the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, against the Chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, against the Home ministry in the arrest of Iftekhar Gilani.
“When he sort of publicly rebutted the police in the case of gang-rape in Delhi. He kept quiet on those occasions,” the Congress leader added. (PTI)
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