SC judge apologises for ‘Taliban’ remarks on Muslims

New
Delhi: Under criticism from Mulsim groups, Supreme Court judge Justice
Markandeya Katju apologised for his controversial comments that Muslim
students cannot insist on sporting beards as it would lead to
‘Talibanisation’ of the country.

A bench of Justices
R V Raveendran and Markandeya Katju also withdrew the order passed by
it on March 30 in which it had dismissed the petition filed by a
student challenging the directive of a convent school in Madhya Pradesh
that Muslims cannot sport beard.

“During the hearing, certain
observations were made by one of us (Justice Markandeya Katju). His
intentions were not to offend anyone. However, if any one’s feeling has
been hurt, he apologises and expresses regret in the matter,” the bench
said in an order.

The apex court said since the petitioner
Mohd Saleem had expressed apprehension that one of the judges (Katju)
was biased it was requesting the Chief Justice of India to place the
matter before another bench for hearing.

Source: Agencies