Chennai, Aug 24 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on Sunday, hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for calling INDIA bloc Vice-Presidential candidate, retired Supreme Court judge P. Sudershan Reddy, a "naxal sympathiser".
Stalin described the remark as an "unwarranted and disgraceful attack" on a jurist with a long record of defending constitutional values.
The Chief Minister was speaking at a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, including MPs from Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, convened in Chennai to drum up support for Justice Reddy.
Welcoming Justice Sudershan Reddy to the state, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of levelling "baseless allegations" to distract from its own failures in combating extremism.
"Unable to eradicate terrorism, they are scapegoating a man who has spent nearly six decades defending the Constitution and upholding justice," Chief Minister Stalin said, urging lawmakers to see through what he termed as the BJP's diversionary tactics.
The DMK Chief praised Justice Reddy as "eminently qualified" to hold the office of Vice-President, recounting his distinguished career starting as an advocate for the Andhra Pradesh government in 1971 and culminating in his tenure as a judge of the Supreme Court.
"He has upheld rights, social justice, and Constitutional values throughout his career," CM Stalin emphasised.
Pointing to what he called "a climate of Constitutional erosion", the Chief Minister warned that the BJP government was "weaponising investigative agencies to hound political opponents" and reducing independent institutions into "party subsidiaries".
He added that the Vice-President's role had become crucial at a time when federalism and parliamentary traditions were under strain.
Reiterating the INDIA bloc's stance, the Chief Minister said the country needed a Vice-President who would act with courage, impartiality, and an unwavering commitment to constitutional principles.
"The BJP wears a Tamil mask while enacting policies against the interests of the Tamil people," CM Stalin charged, stressing that Tamil Nadu would continue to resist attempts to weaken the state's rights and voice in national affairs.
He said the upcoming Vice-Presidential election was not just about choosing an individual, but about safeguarding the democratic spirit and unity of the nation.
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