Protests at Ramlila Maidan do not help: Markandey Katju

Observing that anti-corruption protests gradually fizzle out, Press Council of India Chairman Justice (retd) Markandey Katju today said agitations like that of social activist Anna Hazare lack "scientific idea".

"Protesting at the Ramlila ground does not help as it lasts only for two months and then everyone forgets about it. (Mere) shouting at Jantar Mantar does not help, Anna Hazare lacks scientific idea", Katju said while delivering a lecture at the Mumbai University.

Katju's comments came a day after Hazare met his former colleague and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi and urged him to call off his indefinite fast against "inflated" power bills.

Observing that voting in India has been largely based on the caste and communal lines, Katju said, "This is a backward country where people believe in godmen".

Taking a dig at Kejriwal, Katju said "I would like to know which caste does his (Kejriwal's) party represent?"

On corruption, he said without elaborating that "it will stay in India for at least 20 years".
Katju said that the "dislike" of Western countries towards India for her poverty was the reason the country failed to secure a seat in the UN Security Council.

"Even after so many years we don't have a seat in the UN Security Council because nobody likes poor. Western countries are good to us only on our face but they dislike us because we are poor. Nobody respects poor", Katju said.

"The only way out is to propagate scientific thinking in all walks of life", he added.