Controversy Surrounding Amit Shah, Sudershan Reddy, and Salwa Judum Elicits Judicial opposition Regarding Vice Presidential Election
In a significant judicial dispute, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former Supreme Court Judge Justice Sudershan Reddy find themselves at odds over the Salwa Judum scandal.
The controversy centres around a 2011 Supreme Court judgement that declared the government-backed Salwa Judum militia illegal and unconstitutional. Justice Sudershan Reddy, along with Justice SS Nijjar, co-authored the verdict that disbanded the controversial anti-Naxal vigilante group in Chhattisgarh.
Recently, Amit Shah accused Justice Reddy of prolonging Naxalism by two decades through the Salwa Judum verdict. However, Justice Reddy emphasized the collective nature of Supreme Court verdicts and declined political confrontation. Eighteen retired Supreme Court and High Court judges issued a joint statement condemning Shah's remarks as a "prejudicial misinterpretation" of the Supreme Court judgement.
The Salwa Judum controversy has broader implications for the separation of powers and constitutional governance. According to the Supreme Court judgement, the Salwa Judum represented an "abdication of constitutional responsibilities" by the state to provide appropriate security. The judgement found that the Salwa Judum militia violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court directed the Chhattisgarh government to recover all firearms, ammunition, and accessories from Salwa Judum members and investigate all instances of alleged criminal activities by the militia. The government's multi-dimensional approach to counter-Naxalism includes security operations and development initiatives.
Major security operations include Operation Green Hunt, the creation of Unified Command, and the deployment of specialized COBRA commandos. Development measures include the Forest Rights Act of 2006, the Aspirational Districts Programme, and the establishment of ITIs in LWE-affected districts through the ROSHNI scheme.
The SAMADHAN strategy emphasizes smart leadership, aggressive tactics, actionable intelligence, and technology-driven solutions to combat Left Wing Extremism. Over the last decade, over 8,000 Naxalites have abandoned the path of violence, contributing to significant operational success. As a result, the number of districts affected by Left Wing Extremism has decreased from 126 in 2018 to 38 in 2024, representing a 70% reduction in affected areas.
Among the affected districts, the most severely affected districts have been halved from 12 to just 6. Naxalism affected districts reduced to just 38 from 126 since 2018. This operational success is a testament to the government's commitment to combating Left Wing Extremism and ensuring peace and security for its citizens.
However, the controversy surrounding Amit Shah's remarks continues to cast a shadow over the Vice Presidential elections, with many questioning the appropriateness of political discourse that potentially undermines the independence of the judiciary.
