Amit Shah Slams INDI Alliance’s VP Pick Sudershan Reddy, Says His 'Salwa Judum' Judgment Helped Naxalism

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, the INDIA bloc’s Vice President nominee, of “helping Naxalism” through his 2011 judgment striking down the Salwa Judum, NDTV reported.

The ruling had declared Chhattisgarh’s state-backed tribal militias illegal and unconstitutional, ordering that they be disarmed.

Shah claimed this weakened the fight against the left-wing extremists and said Congress nominated him under Left pressure.

"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," the Home Minister said.

"The people of Kerala will surely see that the Congress, under pressure from Left parties, is fielding a candidate who helped Naxalism with a forum like the Supreme Court," he added.

He added that Kerala, headed for Assembly polls next year and long resistant to the BJP’s nationalist pitch, has also been grappling with Naxal activity.

The Vice President election is scheduled for 9 September.

Justice Reddy will face the NDA’s candidate, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.

Both nominees are from southern India, a factor seen as significant ahead of assembly polls in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Please click here to add Swarajya as your preferred and trusted news source on Google.

Also Read: 'Why Should Governments Be Permitted To Run From Jail?': Prime Minister Modi Defends Bill To Sack Jailed Ministers