Home Minister Amit Shah accused INDIA bloc’s VP nominee, Justice B Sudershan Reddy, of supporting Naxalism through his 2011 Salwa Judum judgment. He claimed the ruling weakened India’s fight against extremism.
Kochi: On August 22, Home Minister Amit Shah has strongly attacked retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who is the INDIA bloc’s nominee for the upcoming Vice President election. Mr Shah accused him of “supporting Naxalism” because of his role in a famous Supreme Court judgment from 2011.
Speaking at an event in Kerala on Friday, Mr Shah referred to Justice Reddy’s ruling in the Salwa Judum case. In that decision, Justice Reddy had said that the practice of creating state-supported militias – where young men from tribal areas were armed and made “special police officers” – was illegal and unconstitutional.
He ordered that these militias should be disarmed. Justice Reddy also said that militias cannot take the place of proper law enforcement and advised the Chhattisgarh government to solve the root causes that give rise to the Naxal movement.
Mr Shah used this judgment to allege that Justice Reddy had in fact helped the Naxal cause. According to the Home Minister, if the order had not been passed, the problem of left-wing extremism could have ended years ago.
He declared,
“Sudershan Reddy is the person who helped Naxalism. He gave the Salwa Judum judgment. If that judgement had not been given… Naxal terrorism would have ended by 2020. He is the person who, inspired by that ideology, gave the judgment.”
He also added that voters in Kerala must take note of the Congress party’s choice for Vice President.
“The people of Kerala will certainly see that the Congress, under pressure from Left parties, is fielding a candidate who supported Naxalism with a forum like the Supreme Court,” Mr Shah said.
The Home Minister also claimed that Kerala, where Assembly elections will be held next year, has been “suffering” from Naxal activities.
His comments matched what BJP insiders had told NDTV earlier this week, when they argued that Justice Reddy’s past decisions had weakened India’s fight against Naxalism.
BJP sources had also reminded that when Justice Reddy was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Goa, the Congress and its ally NCP had themselves opposed his appointment, calling him a “yes man” of then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The Vice President election is scheduled for September 9. Justice Reddy will face the ruling NDA’s candidate, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
The election is significant not only for the top constitutional post but also because of its political impact in southern states, with both candidates being from South India.
Party sources said the BJP nominated Mr Radhakrishnan, a Tamil leader, in order to put pressure on the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu ahead of elections there. Initially, it was expected that the opposition INDIA bloc might also put up a Tamil face, but they chose Justice Reddy, who hails from Hyderabad.
This week, Justice Reddy himself spoke to NDTV and made it clear he would not make personal remarks in the election campaign.
“No personal attacks are expected. I won’t make any personal remark… and I hope Mr Radhakrishnan will also refrain. He is very experienced, has been around for a long time.”
Justice Reddy also rejected attempts to turn the election into a regional fight.
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“What is this Tamil Nadu vs Telangana? We are both Indian citizens, and India has no separate citizenship for Tamil Nadu and Telangana. You (the media) are setting a narrative,” he said.
The election is being held because the sitting Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, resigned last month citing health issues.
However, political circles believe his exit was also connected to government displeasure over his actions in the matter relating to the impeachment of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Verma.
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