Chennai, Aug 24 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for targeting Opposition vice presidential candidate, Justice B Sudershan Reddy over Naxalism.

The Centre could not end Naxal-based extremism and in order to hide its incompetence, Justice Reddy was labelled a "Naxal" by Shah, the chief minister alleged.

Addressing a meeting of leaders of INDIA bloc, its MPs from Tamil Nadu in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to support justice Reddy, the chief minister said Justice Reddy was fully qualified and deserved to be the vice president and that was why he was nominated by the INDIA bloc as its candidate.

Justice Reddy was in Chennai on Sunday to seek support from DMK and its friendly parties in the state.

Stalin said that not only the INDIA bloc constituents, but all those who had faith in democracy accepted only Reddy as the vice presidential candidate.

Outlining the legal and judicial career of the retired judge, Stalin said Reddy dedicated his life to law and justice and upheld the dignity of the Constitution.

"Why is he needed today? the chief minister asked and he answered that question by saying that he is needed to protect the Constitution when the BJP was trying to "damage" it.

Justice Reddy respected Tamil Nadu's sentiments and his opposition to NEP is a case in point and he stands for pluralism, Constitution, Tamil Nadu and the people and thus, no bigger reason than this is needed to support him.

"However, how does the union home minister criticise the former judge of the Supreme Court? He accuses him as a Naxal. A home minister, forgetting his responsibility, has made an unjust remark against a former judge." The BJP regime could not end extremism and in order to hide their incompetence, they are trying to blame the ex-judge.

"What is the union government led by the BJP is now doing? It is deploying investigative agencies to target political opponents.

"It is changing independent organisations into subsidiary outfits of the BJP. The Constitution itself is in danger. Under the circumstances, today we have got a person who has faith in the principles of secularism, federalism, social justice and unity in diversity. The duty in front of us is to support him." Further, he said: "However, after doing all that was against Tamil Nadu and its people, the BJP, by using the mask of Tamilian, is now seeking support for CP Radhakrishnan, the NDA nominee, for the office of vice president. This is a very old trick. Rather than individuals, it is the ideologies that guides politics." Only the ideology that serves the interests of the people and their welfare should be supported.

Hence, Justice Reddy, in order to protect democracy, the Parliamentary conventions and the Constitution should become the vice president, the chief minister extended his wishes to the ex-judge.

Addressing INDIA bloc leaders, Justice Reddy said the attempts to "restructure" the GST and formulate appropriate policies, in the matter of allocation of financial resources to the states if it goes through, would be a death knell to the idea of federalism.

The states would be reduced to the level of municipalities and would be made to depend upon the "doles by persons, whoever is in power, 1 or 2 individuals," he alleged.

"It is a mater of serious concern for all of us." Hence, an appropriate strategy and policy should be evolved to counter it. Not only the idea of federalism, but the idea of Constitution would be in danger, the ex-judge claimed.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, a champion of federalism, represents that idea enshrined in the Constitution. Praising the DMK leadership as visionary, Reddy said it sought abolition of the post of governor decades ago.

In an indirect reference to the tussle between the DMK regime and Governor RN Ravi, the former judge said the DMK leadership was visionary as they anticipated the present crisis decades ago.

"My salutation to this great land of Tamil Nadu," he said and paid tributes to iconic leaders including Periyar EV Ramasamy. Tamil Nadu leads in both health and education and the state is a pioneer in formulating appropriate socio-economic policies meant for the benefit of weaker sections of society.

"I do not speak about myself and my judgments; it is for all of you and the society to judge me now. I have given enough number of judgments; now it is your turn to judge me." So far, he said he was upholding the Constitution and if given an opportunity he will make all possible efforts to protect and defend the Constitution. "I promise you, its a solemn promise, I will not let you down and I will not let down the Constitution." On August 23, Sudershan Reddy said it was not a contest between two individuals but two ideologies, asserting that while his opponent is a quintessential RSS man, he is "far, far away" from it.

"I am essentially a liberal constitutional democrat. This is the area, or rather the arena, for the contest where the fight goes on," he told PTI in an interview. PTI VGN VGN KH