Overview

• Speaking at the Manorama News conclave in Kochi on August 22, the home minister claimed Reddy’s judgment enabled Naxalism and said insurgency would have ended by 2020 without it.
• Reddy authored the 2011 Supreme Court ruling in Nandini Sundar v. State of Chhattisgarh that found arming tribal youths as Special Police Officers unlawful and ordered their immediate disarmament.
• The Salwa Judum was a Chhattisgarh initiative launched in 2005 to counter Maoists that drew allegations of human rights abuses and was later disbanded.
• Shah framed the INDIA bloc’s choice as being made under Left pressure and argued that Kerala voters would judge the Congress for backing Reddy.
• The vice-presidential race pits Reddy against the NDA’s nominee, Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, with the poll scheduled for September 9.