Fifty retired judges slam 18 colleagues over Amit Shah’s ‘Salwa Judum’ remark on Opposition VP pick Justice Sudershan Reddy, sparking heated debate on judiciary, politics, and judicial independence.
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NEW DELHI: A group of 50 retired judges, including two former Chief Justices of India, P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi, and several former Chief Justices of High Courts, have released a letter on Tuesday expressing their “strong disagreement” with another group of 18 retired judges who had earlier defended Justice B Sudershan Reddy, the opposition’s nominee for Vice President.
What the 50 Retired Judges Said
The 50 judges argued that once Justice Reddy chose to enter the political arena by contesting for the Vice Presidency, he must be open to criticism like any other political candidate. They rejected the idea that judicial independence could be invoked to shield him from political attacks, especially after Home Minister Amit Shah accused him of “supporting Naxalism” through his 2011 judgment on the Salwa Judum case.
The letter emphasized:
- Judicial independence is not threatened by criticism of a political candidate.
- What truly harms the judiciary’s reputation is when retired judges issue partisan statements.
- A few judges’ actions risk painting the larger judiciary as partisan.
- Colleagues should refrain from making politically motivated statements and keep the judiciary distinct from political entanglements.
The 18-Judge Letter
“The statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, publicly misinterpreting the judgment of the Supreme Court in the Salwa Judum case, is unfortunate. The judgment nowhere supports, either expressly or by compelling implication of its text, Naxalism or its ideology.”
The statement signed by the 18 former judges said.
This sharp response came a day after 18 retired judges, including former Supreme Court Justices Kurien Joseph and Madan B Lokur, criticized Amit Shah’s remarks. They argued that misinterpreting judicial verdicts could damage the judiciary’s credibility. The judges defended Justice Reddy’s Salwa Judum judgment, stating:
“The judgment nowhere supports Naxalism or its ideology. The Home Minister’s misinterpretation is unfortunate.”
They urged political leaders to show restraint, particularly when the Vice President’s office was at stake.
Amit Shah’s Attack on Justice Reddy
Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing an event in Kerala last week, accused Justice Reddy of helping Naxalism with his verdict against state-backed militias in Chhattisgarh. Shah argued that without this judgment, the Maoist insurgency could have been wiped out by 2020. He linked Justice Reddy’s ideology to that judgment, framing it as detrimental to India’s fight against Naxal terrorism.
Justice Reddy’s Response
Justice Reddy hit back, stating:
- He is not a Naxal supporter.
- The Salwa Judum judgment was not in favor of the Maoists.
- If it was problematic, the government should have challenged it, which it did not.
He also appealed for a respectful campaign, saying he would avoid personal attacks and expected the same from his rival candidate, BJP-backed CP Radhakrishnan.
Political Context of the Vice Presidential Election
The Vice President election, scheduled for September 9, has become a high-stakes battle. Both candidates hail from the south, Justice Reddy from Hyderabad (opposition INDIA bloc) and CP Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu (BJP-led NDA). This southern contest comes just ahead of the Tamil Nadu and Kerala elections, making it politically significant.
Analysts believe BJP picked Radhakrishnan strategically to corner DMK in Tamil Nadu, while the opposition chose Justice Reddy to consolidate support in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, especially targeting the ruling Telugu Desam Party’s alliance with BJP.
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