PCI Chairman for Bharat Ratna to Ghalib

New Delhi: Press Council chief Justice Markandey Katju on Saturday suggested Bharat Ratna for noted Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, saying there is no "fitter" person than him to whom the award can be bestowed.

"I had made this appeal in the Mushaira organised by Jashn-Bahaar, and my appeal had been endorsed by prominent persons in the audience like Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Chief Election Officer S Y Quraishi and others," he said.


Stating that Bharat Ratna has been awarded posthumously several times in the past, he said "in my opinion there is no fitter person to whom the award can be given than Mirza Ghalib, who is one of the foremost figures representing our composite culture."

He also appealed to all Urdu lovers to appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to recommend Bharat Ratna for the Urdu poet.

Katju's suggestion follows the government's move to amend rules to pave way for sports-persons to be eligible for the country's highest civilian honour.

"By awarding Bharat Ratna to Mirza Ghalib, we will not be honouring Ghalib but ourselves," he said.