The INDIA Bloc’s vice-presidential candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy has come under attack after allegations surfaced that he supports Naxalism. Responding sharply to the charges, senior Congress leader Udit Raj stepped in to defend Reddy, dismissing the claims as “misleading and politically motivated.”
Addressing the controversy, Udit Raj said, “If he spoke about ending Salwa Judum, does that mean he wanted to reintroduce it? Was Salwa Judum ever a solution? Arming tribals and making them fight each other was never the answer.” He argued that the state cannot escape responsibility for maintaining law and order.
The Congress MP further clarified that the duty of tackling insurgency lies with the government machinery. “The responsibility lies with the government, police and CRPF. If Sudarshan Reddy gave any opinion, it does not mean he endorses Naxalism. Law and order is the government’s responsibility, not the Supreme Court’s. The court’s role is only to interpret the law,” Udit Raj asserted.
Political observers note that Salwa Judum, a controversial anti-Maoist vigilante movement banned by the Supreme Court in 2011, continues to trigger debate in Chhattisgarh and beyond. By invoking the issue, critics have sought to paint Sudarshan Reddy as sympathetic to the Left Wing Extremist cause.
However, Udit Raj argued that the allegations are an attempt to malign the INDIA Bloc candidate ahead of the high-stakes vice-presidential election. “Sudarshan Reddy’s views are being twisted. The truth is that governance and security are the state’s duties, and any attempt to distort his position is nothing but political propaganda,” he said.
