‘Salwa Judum’ a people’s initiative to combat naxal menace: Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: The Chhattisgarh government on Monday justified in the Supreme Court the constitution of ‘Salwa Judum’ (self-defence groups) saying, “It is not State sponsored but a people’s initiative to combat the menace of naxalites.”

“The State is committed to resolve the problem of naxalism and any peaceful movement, which resists the violent methods, definitely gets support of States.

The ‘Salwa judum’ was started as a non-political peaceful movement to resist the activities of naxalites in the form of killings, kidnappings, plunder and bunks,” the government said.

A Bench, consisting of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices Tarun Chatterjee and R.V. Raveendran, was hearing a petition filed by Nandini Sundar, Ramachandra Guha and E.A.S. Sarma.

The petitioners alleged that in the guise of countering naxal movement, the ‘Salwa Judum’ was indulging in killings and committing atrocities against the tribals of the State.

The Bench adjourned the hearing to the February last week to enable the petitioners to file their response to the State’s counter and rejoinder by the State.

Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel Ashok Desai submitted that over 50,000 persons were kept in camps in villages, and pleaded for appointment of a committee to visit these camps and report about their plight.

Appearing for the State, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said Chhattisgarh was the most affected State due to the naxalite menace.

“The naxalities are torching police stations and are posing a biggest challenge.

The internal security of the nation was involved and the petitioners were trying to eulogise naxalism and naxalite activities,” he said and sought the dismissal of the petition.
‘Houses torched’

The petitioners said the ‘Salwa Judum’ was launched to combat naxalites but in reality these activists conducted frequent raids on villages and attacked and killed suspected naxalite sympathisers; torched their houses and looted livestock.

They had sought a direction to the Chhattisgarh government to refrain from supporting, associating, encouraging or promoting in any manner the activities of the ‘Salwa Judum’ and to order an impartial enquiry to go into the atrocities committed by the group.