G. K. Pillai may be technically correct that the charges levied against Ishrat Jahan and others, are not cleared up by the declaration of their death as Encountered assassinations. Still the verdict directly impacts the creditability of the entire crime story concocted to carry out the encounter. It is clear, G. K. Pillai is not happy with the ‘encounter’ verdict and apparently would not have minded, if there are extra-judicial killings, however flimsy and arbitrary the charges of terrorism are levied by the security authorities. He wants to be above the law of the land and people like him, are the real tragedy of India, where bureaucrats rule with a mindset that they know the best. This tragedy is highlighted by the new Press Council Chief, Justice Markandey Katju, when he questioned the media practice of instant defamation of Indian Muslims, as soon as any news of such incidents are reported. If the chain of defamation process is to be investigated, the security agencies, with people like G. K.Pillai having grossly communal mindset, cannot be left unchecked.
Now that more and more ‘terror suspect’ Muslims are being exonerated for one reason or other, there is a strong case for compensation payment for them for the wrongful arrests and detention. Besides, the Muslim community itself has a case of defamation both against the relevant security officials and those in the media, who have been instrumental in spreading the canard of Muslim terrorism, to shield terrorists of other kind. With the court now rightly levying 100 Crore defamation compensation against TIMES NOW, one can only guess, what Indian Muslim community collectively may or must demand for their defamation as ‘terrorists’ by the media in general and TIMES Group in particular.
GHULAM MUHAMMED
MUMBAI