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"The country is passing through crisis due to lack of leadership... there is absence of good leadership with vision and integrity," he told a function here.
"Lagta hai choron ka mulk hai...charo taraf loot machi hai (It seems we have become a country of thieves and loot is taking place all around)," the PCI chairman said.
The credibility of political leaders has suffered a severe dent, he said, adding scam was following scam and there was a general mood of cynicism against the political class due to prevalence of corruption.
There was a time when the leaders commanded respect of the people for qualities like integrity, commitment and leadership, he said while recalling Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr B C Roy.
"But today's leaders lack vision and leadership," he said.
Katju said that country was sitting on the tip of a volcano and referred to disgust among the people against "corruption, scams and degeneration of the political system.
"If the political class does not change its ways, then a bad situation will greet them sooner than later," he said.
Katju targets Nitish, 'CM has lost goodwill of people'
Attacking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju on Friday claimed that he had lost the goodwill of people as indicated by public protests against him during his recent 'Adhikar yatra' and was "scared" of facing the people.
"The chief minister was shown black flags by the people and massive public protests took place during his 'Adhikar yatra' which proves that he has failed to fulfil promises of development, employment and electricity even seven years after assuming power," Katju told a function here.
He claimed that the public protests were so strong that Kumar had to abandon his yatra midway and at places where he addressed public meetings there were more policemen than the people, which he said proved that the chief minister was "scared" of those who had given him mandate for successive terms.
He asked the chief minister to introspect about the actual cause of protests against him and admit that there was a genuine reason for anger against him and his government.
Kumar should also analyse whether the standard of living of the people of Bihar had improved during his rule.
He also slammed Kumar for carrying out a 'Bihar shining' campaign in the media and said that the facts like poverty, backwardness, lack of industrialization and unemployment and migration could not be ignored.
"Bihar will not shine by itself if you just make a lot of noise about it," he said.
He said that Kumar had brought crime under control during his first term, but the growing crime figure in recent times reflected poorly on him and his government.
He also expressed concern at the prevailing casteism in the socio-political system of Bihar and said that the divisive politics based on caste had reached the nadir.
"Has Jai Prakash Narayan's pupil fulfilled the dream of his idol about establishment of a casteless society after learning the basics of polity from him?" Katju asked.
Stating that Bihar was a world leader in religion, culture and even development at one time, he asked the chief minister to introspect and state whether Bihar had moved forward or gone backward over the years.
Katju also questioned the development model of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sayign Gujarat had a higher rate of malnutrition among children than the national average and
"Gujarat has a higher malnutrition rate at 47 per cent against the national average at 46," he said.
Katju also said that the health of children in India was worse than sub-Sahara countries in Africa.
He slammed the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders for their hate campaign against migrants in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
"The fundamental right under Article 19(1)(E) of the Constitution entitles an Indian citizen to settle in any part of the country," he said.
Those people who questioned the right of fellow countrymen to live and work in Mumbai and Maharashtra were 'traitors' and should be punished severely, he said.
"These traitors should be punished severely," Katju said.
Not all Maharashtrians or Mumbaikars, however, shared the 'son-of-the-soil' theory of these leaders, he said, appealing to the people of Bihar not to retaliate against Maharashtrian people settled in the state.
In nut shell 'Gali gali mein shore hai, Sara India Chor Hai.'
Following up on Katju's comments, in the latest Wadra-Kejriwal spat different shades of these lootera's is coming into the open.Refer to Digvijay Singh's comments, that congress has proof of Corruption by Vajpayee's and Advani's near and dear ones, but would never make use of them .How graceful of him.This tacit understanding among these is well known.But now in his anxiety to protect the family , the Raja has blurted out the obvious to the media." We are in power,so we eat, you do it when your turn comes.But definitely at least one of us should eat always " appears to be the theme song.These people have lost all sense of propriety and are behaving shamelessly.Are kamse kam purdah to pehno.
Mr Katju, by calling India a country of thieves, is attacking the nation as a whole. Not all citizens are corrupt. He should amend his statement.
After 65 years of independence our politicians lost their leadership qualities.In India what we need right now is a good leader with morality,firm,ethically clean.Good Luck India.
Critisizing Shiv Sena is fine, but the scope for their kind of demand was created in the first place by the leaders you admire - the great Jawaharlal included. Why did he create a special dispensation for Kashmir? Was it not because he saw himself as a Kashmiri? What if other people take the logic forward?
Mr.Katju is correct.All the political parties are interestd in making maximum money and fill their pockets,they are not interested in the development of the nation.They have ruined the nation.
You are very true sir. But India justice system and judges are also responsible to give oxygen to these thieves. If justice system is fast and honest, all these thieves will cry for sunlight. But Alas this is not happening. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lallooo Yadav, Mayawati, Karunanidhi, Badals, Chautalas, Raja, Chidambaram, Sonia Gandhi, etc., are enjoying all the joys of life due to kindness of justice system. Dr.Yogesh Sharma
mr katju is very right. But the real problem is that when peoples like Katju had power and position to eradicate corruption and to take hard decision, they do nothing and after retirement behave like saint and mahapurush.
