Opposition vice-presidential nominee B Sudershan Reddy on Saturday responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s allegation that he had “supported Naxalism” through the Salwa Judum judgment. Reddy clarified that the ruling was not his personal view but a decision of the Supreme Court.
The Controversy
On Friday, while speaking in Kerala, Shah accused Reddy of helping Maoists by striking down the use of tribal youths as Special Police Officers under Salwa Judum—a state-backed anti-Maoist militia in Chhattisgarh. Shah said, “If the Salwa Judum judgment had not been given, Naxal terrorism would have ended by 2020.”
Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge, was part of the two-judge bench with Justice S S Nijjar that delivered the July 2011 judgment. The verdict declared Salwa Judum unconstitutional, stating that arming civilians to fight insurgents violated fundamental rights.
Reddy’s Response
In an interview with PTI, Reddy said he did not wish to enter into a direct confrontation with the Home Minister but emphasized that the decision represented the institution, not an individual.
“I authored the judgment, but it is not mine. It is the Supreme Court’s judgment,” Reddy said. “There was another judge with me on the bench. Attempts to overrule it did not succeed. I wish the Honourable Home Minister had read the full judgment, which runs about 40 pages, before commenting.”
Reddy stressed that as a judge, he avoids glorifying his own rulings. “It is not my personal document. It is for the people to judge,” he said, adding that he wanted to maintain “decency in debate” and would not make further remarks.
Background
The 2011 Supreme Court ruling disbanded Salwa Judum, which was launched in 2005 as a state-sponsored movement to counter Maoist influence. The court found the practice of arming tribal youths unconstitutional and a violation of their rights.
Reddy, now the INDIA bloc’s candidate for Vice President, said his comments were limited to clarifying the role of the judiciary and preserving the dignity of public discourse.
Image Source: Google | Image Credit: Respective Owner
