Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition’s INDIA bloc for nominating retired Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy as its Vice Presidential candidate, claiming that his 2011 judgment disbanding Salwa Judum gave Left Wing Extremism a lifeline that prolonged its survival for nearly two decades.
In an interview with ANI, Shah argued that by striking down the armed civilian vigilante movement in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Justice Reddy and co-author Justice SS Nijjar had “ended the right to self-defence” for Adivasis and weakened the fight against Naxals.
“At that time, Naxalism was on the verge of dying. By disbanding Salwa Judum, the right to self-defence for Adivasis was taken away. That judgment ensured that Naxalism sustained for two more decades. It is there in the Supreme Court’s own records,” Shah said.
The Salwa Judum, launched in 2005 under the then BJP-led Chhattisgarh government, was described as a grassroots movement of Adivasis demanding security, education, healthcare, and roads. However, in July 2011, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional, ruling that the state could not abdicate its responsibility to provide security by arming civilians instead of strengthening professional police forces.
Shah alleged that the judgment forced the removal of CRPF and security personnel from schools and other bases in Bastar, leaving them vulnerable to Naxal attacks. He further linked Justice Reddy’s stance to what he called “left-wing sympathies,” demanding answers from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for supporting his nomination.
“Rahul Gandhi must answer why a person with left-wing leanings was chosen. Because of that judgment, Naxals were protected. That is why they have picked him as their candidate,” Shah said.
The INDIA bloc, with backing from the Aam Aadmi Party, has projected Justice Reddy as part of what it calls an “ideological fight” against the ruling NDA, which has fielded senior BJP leader CP Radhakrishnan.
Justice Reddy, who retired in 2011 after serving in the Supreme Court and as Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court, filed his nomination on August 21. He will face Radhakrishnan in the Vice Presidential elections scheduled for September 9.
