On Amit Shah’s attack on him over the Salwa Judum verdict, Reddy said, “I do not wish to join an issue directly with the Honourable Home Minister of India, whose constitutional duty and obligation is to protect the life, liberty and property of every citizen, irrespective of ideological differences. Secondly, I have authored the judgement. The judgement is not mine, the judgement is of the Supreme Court.” Reddy said he wished Shah read the judgment, which runs up to 40 pages.”If he had read the judgement, perhaps he would not have made that comment. That’s all I say and leave it there…There must be decency in the debate,” he asserted.He also threw his support behind the caste survey, saying one has to first find out the percentage of those who need to be succoured.On the controversy over inclusion of ‘socialist’, ‘secular’ in the Preamble, he said, according to him the expressions have made things explicit, which is otherwise inbuilt in the provisions of the Constitution.”Both the words which are made explicit, the ideas contained in the Constitution are welcome. It is true that the amendment came, that is 42nd Amendment, when emergency was invoked. But, one must remember, the Jana Sangh which formed the government later, unanimously approved it. Therefore, one fails to understand with what intention that debate is being triggered,” he said.On different narratives on Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar, Reddy said if you read the three superficially, some misconceptions and misunderstanding come to mind.”Quintessentially, all three of them were great Democrats, Republicans and believed in the ethics and morals of the Constitution. I do not think it would be in the interest of the nation to divide them into three segments. And one supporting and the other opposing and creating a false narrative is not in the nation’s interest,” he stressed.
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