Is Congress against peace? Sukma, Bastar villagers' oppose INDIA bloc's VP pick; write letter to MPs

NEW DELHI: Villagers from Sukma and Bastar in Chhattisgarh, who had been victims of Left-Wing extremism and Naxal violence, have written an open letter to Members of Parliament, urging them not to vote for Opposition bloc’s vice-presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy.

The letter points to Justice Reddy's order against the Salwa Judum movement - a state-backed campaign launched to drive out Naxals from Bastar.

The villagers claim his judgment weakened efforts against insurgency. "The entire Bastar region would have been peaceful, but after the 2011 Supreme Court verdict, Bastar has been trembling with fear," the letter reads.

Raising sharp questions, the villagers ask: "Should such a supporter of Naxals be seated on this post in the country?" and "Think again — what do Congress and its senior leaders want to establish by making such a person their candidate?"

They further add, "Is Congress against peace in Bastar?"

The protest comes after the BJP named CP Radhakrishnan as its nominee for Vice-President, following which the Congress-led INDIA bloc declared Justice B Sudershan Reddy as its challenger.

Villagers in Bastar and Sukma have now voiced concern over his candidacy, citing his past stance on Salwa Judum.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also hit out at retired SC judge Reddy, alleging that his 2011 verdict on Salwa Judum reflected an “inclination towards Maoism.”

“In India, the office of the Vice President holds the second-highest constitutional position. It is therefore crucial to understand the mindset and ideology of the person nominated for this post. Justice B Sudershan Reddy’s judgement on Salwa Judum clearly showed a compassionate attitude and inclination towards Maoism,” Prasad, a former Union law minister, said.