Shah attacks Oppn VP pick on Salwa Judum ruling again

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on INDIA bloc's Vice-Presidential candidate Justice Sudarshan Reddy on Monday and accused him of “protecting Naxals” and ending "the right of self-defence of tribals.”

In an exclusive interview with a news agency, Amit Shah said, “He (Justice (Retd) B Sudarshan Reddy) rejected Salwa Judum and ended the right of self-defence of tribals.” “Because of this, Naxalism lasted for more than two decades in this country. At that time, Naxalism was breathing its last,” he alleged. Shah said that Reddy’s “Leftist ideology” must have been considered by the Opposition parties before nominating him as their VP candidate against NDA’s pick CP Radhakrishnan, who carries an RSS background with him.

The Home Minister argued that Salwa Judum was formed by the Adivasis who wanted progress and facilities such as education, roads and healthcare. “It was meant to protect them, which the Supreme Court disbanded,” he said. Shah said that after the Supreme Court’s verdict, “the schools that were destroyed due to Naxalites, CRPF and security forces were present in those schools. They threw everyone out overnight by issuing an order. There were attacks on security forces at many places. Rahul Gandhi should answer these two judgments more than Sudarshan Reddy.”