Former judge stands up for politicians.

Mr Markandey Katju, Chairman of the Press Council of India thinks Mr Anna Hazare is an " idiot ". In an oped in the Hindustan Times of 9 July he blames the media for reporting on Hazare's agitation for an effective ombudsman against corruption, called Jan Lokpal. Mr Katju writes," Yet, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Hazare led the gullible people of the country in this dance of stupidity and he was ably assisted by the Indian media." Clearly, not just Hazare, Mr Katju thinks that all the people of India are idiots for wanting a clean government. To show his immense erudition he quotes Shakespeare," It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." What gives Mr Katju the right to insult all Indians and Mr Hazare in particular. Is it because Mr Hazare is a humble man, who is not wealthy, While Mr Katju is a former judge of the Supreme Court. Mr Katju berates the media for not ignoring Hazare's agitation and says that the media should only report news and not create a sensation. He repeats the arguments put forward by criminal politicians that there being millions of civil servants a Lok Pal will not be able to deal with all the cases and will, therefore, be ineffective. So what is news? Is it his view that a government run by criminals sucking the lifeblood out of the nation not news? Perhaps Mr Katju should focus on the justice system in India. When has a judge sentenced a politician to be hanged or to go to prison for life without public pressure? Why was RK Sharma exonerated for the murder of Shivani Bhatnagar? Why was the pedophile Rathore let off with just 6 months in prison? Why is Ramalinga Raju still free after confessing to robbing Satyam while Bernie Madoff is serving a 150 year sentence? Is it not a judge's responsibility to conclude a case on time? By prolonging a case for decades are the judges not helping criminals to bribe, threaten or kill witnesses into silence? A Lok Pal may not be able to handle all the cases of corruption because crime has become so rampant in India but that surely is no reason not to try. We lock our houses when we go out knowing that a flimsy lock is no deterrent against a professional burglar but it is enough against opportunist thieves looking for quick profits. An Asda store on Atherleigh Way in Leigh in Wigan, UK has installed cardboard cut-out police officers in its store and seen a fall of 75% in shoplifting. Daily Mail, July 9. Greater Manchester police are now thinking of trying this across the region. The vast majority of people are cowards and will commit an offense only if they think it is easy. Just the presence of a Lok Pal will intimidate most of them. Sitting on a bench and pronouncing from on high is likely to give you God complex. Perhaps a bit of humility will help. Or maybe Mr Katju is grateful to Congress for giving him a nice little sinecure after retirement. A little present for a lot of support, what?