Salwa Judum
Why it matters?
Eighteen retired judges, including former SC judges Kurien Joseph, Madan Lokur, and J. Chelameswar, criticised Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on the 2011 Salwa Judum judgment, calling them prejudicial and harmful to judicial independence.
What you should know?
Salwa Judum, meaning “peace march” in Gondi, was launched in 2005 in Chhattisgarh as a state-supported vigilante movement against Maoists.
Tribal youth were recruited as Special Police Officers (SPOs) and armed to fight left-wing extremists.
The movement was accused of grave human rights violations, including killings, sexual violence, arson, and forced displacement of tribals.
In 2011, the Supreme Court in Nandini Sundar & Others vs. State of Chhattisgarh declared Salwa Judum unconstitutional.
The Court held that arming untrained tribal youth as SPOs violated Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 21 (Right to Life).
It ordered the disbanding of SPOs, withdrawal of firearms, and an end to state support for vigilante groups.