National   

Formation of Salwa Judum ‘not justified’

NEW DELHI: The Chhattisgarh government on Monday defended in the Supreme Court the formation of the ‘Salwa Judum’ (self-defence groups) and giving them arms.

Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, who formed a Bench alongwith Justice Aftab Alam, was hearing a petition filed by Nandini Sundar, Ramachandra Guha and E.A.S. Sarma.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said the Institute of Criminology had been asked to conduct an investigation and once the report was filed, the perception of the court about the ‘Salwa Judum’ might change. When naxalites shot dead people the villagers asked for protection and Salwa Judum was meant only for that purpose.

The CJI told the ASG: “It [naxal] is basically a law and order problem. It is not a question of granting protection. All this will not justify your action. Giving arms to private persons is illegal. .”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

SP not saying ‘no’ to Congress
CPI(M) for talks between China and the Dalai Lama
Congress not our enemy: Amar Singh
Chameli Devi award presented
Formation of Salwa Judum ‘not justified’
Advani rules out early election
New U.K. immigration norms from today
Turkish Army chief in India
Hizb leader arrested
Bhutia pulls out of torch run
BJP sees food-scarcity era
Surrounded by water
Muthuraman, IIT-Kharagpur Chairman
PM: evolve steps to combat terror

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu