Katju-Bhupen Hazarika
Markandey Katju (left) and Bhupen Hazarika. Image credit-Twitter/hindustantimes.com

Former Supreme Court judge and ex-chairman of the Press Council of India, Markandey Katju on Monday apologised to the people of the Northeast for making a comment on legendary artiste Bhupen Hazarika being conferred Bharat Ratna.

Markandey Katju, who had earlier served as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Madras High Court and as acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, in a Facebook post had said Bhupen Hazarika did not deserve Bharat Ratna.

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Also read: Bhupen Hazarika posthumously gets Bharat Ratna

Following his comment on the bard from Assam, Katju received widespread criticisms from various corners.

Music maestro Bhupen Hazarika, social activist and BJP’s senior-most leader Nanji Deshmukh have been awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously along with Pranab Mukherjee, India’s 13th President and Congress leader.

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In his Facebook post on Sunday, Katju had said all the three Bharat Ratna awards conferred this year were “undeserving”, however, he has apologised only for his comment on Bhupen Hazarika.

Seeking apology for his comment on the social networking site, Katju on his Facebook post on Monday stated: “I had written in my earlier fb post that Bhupen Hazarika did not deserve Bharat Ratna, for which many North East people criticised me.”

“Now I want to confess I did not know what I was talking about, which is sometimes a bad habit in me which I must rectify,” stated Katju, adding, “I confess I have not studied the works of Bhupen Hazarika, and was hence not justified in making that comment. So I apologise to people of the North East.”

On his earlier Facebook post, Katju stated: “Pranab Mukherji was a shameless Nehru-Gandhi chamcha. Nanaji Deshmukh belonged to the Sangh Parivar which is communal and therefore divides the Indian people. Whoever divides the people is an enemy of the people, as Bheeshma Pitamah said in the Shantiparva of Mahabharat.

Without studying about Bhupen Hazarika, who was a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padmashri (1977), Padmabhushan (2001) and Padma Vibhushan (2012-posthumously) and Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1992, Katju said: “Bhupen Hazarika may have worked for peace and amity, but at best deserved a Padma Vibhushan.”