New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) The central government Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the vigilante group Salwa Judum was on its way out and the Chhattisgarh government has been told not to extend any support to its activists.
The Salwa Judum was set up and armed by the Chhattisgarh government to counter Maoist influence in tribal areas of the state.
‘We have instructed the state government not to extend any support to Salwa Judum activists,’ Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium told the apex court bench of Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar.
The solicitor general told the court: ‘We have a problem that should be dealt with in a humane, fair and just manner.’
The court also pulled up the Chhattisgarh government for filing an affidavit which sounded as if the state government was holding a brief for the Salwa Judum and also holding back information.
The court said that the state government’s affidavit nowhere stated, ‘We have not supported the Salwa Judum, we don’t continue to support it or we will not support it.’
When Chhattisgarh government counsel Manish Singhvi sought more time to file a proper, comprehensive and holistic affidavit, the court said it should not be adversarial in its approach.
Subramanium told the court that the problem on the ground was very complex and no overnight solution was possible. He said there was better understanding and appreciation of the tribal problem, and its solution was a top priority.
He added that 10 flagship schemes have been launched to address those problems.
At this, the court said: ‘Nothing would happen in a day or two. The efforts should be in the right directions. You must also state your difficulties.’
Justice Reddy appreciated the change in the attitude of both the central and the state governments.
‘We are happy there is a slight change in the affidavit filed by the union of India and the Chhattisgarh government compared to the previous ones.’
