Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday responded to the Opposition's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to “dimagi naxals” during his Independence Day speech, saying the remark was not aimed at opposition leaders.
Rijiju took to X and shared a list of groups and views that he said Modi was referring to when he used the term during his address from the Red Fort on Saturday.
Rijiju shares who he calls ‘dimagi naxals’
"PM @narendramodi ji didn't say opposition leaders as Dimagi Naxals. Only following are Dimagi Naxals: 1. Who support Maoists and reject Indian Constitution. 2. Who stand with separatists & support Article 370. 4. Who want to cut chicken neck to separate North-East from India," Rijiju wrote.
His remarks came a day after Modi said that people with a Naxal mindset were still present in different parts of the country and needed to be “identified and isolated”.
The Prime Minister said armed Naxalism had been curbed but warned against what he described as ideological Naxalism.
Chidambaram says he is ‘proud’ to be a ‘Dimagi Naxal’
The Opposition had reacted sharply to Modi's remarks. Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday took a swipe at the Prime Minister, saying he was "proud to be a Dimagi Naxal."
The comment came amid a political row over the phrase used in Modi's Independence Day address.
What Modi said in his Independence Day speech
During his Red Fort speech, Modi drew a distinction between armed Naxals and those he described as having a Naxal mindset.
"For years, people with Maoist thinking were there in public life, even in government committees; this thinking had affected various institutions and initiatives. My dear countrymen, we have been able to curb and free the country from 'hathariya naxal' (armed naxal),” PM Modi said.
“Even if these naxals are gone, the 'dimagi naxal' (people with naxal thinking), are looking for an opportunity, looking to see ways of violence, and trying to drag the country down a wrong path. We need to identify these dimagi naxal, isolate them, and bring the youth together for a developed country," he added.
Congress questions the term
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticised the Prime Minister's remarks, comparing “dimagi naxal” with the earlier use of the term “urban naxal”.
"Two or three years ago, he (PM Modi) called his political opponents 'Urban Naxals'; at that time, the question arose in Parliament as to what the definition of 'Urban Naxal' was. The Home Minister replied that there is no such thing as an 'Urban Naxal,' nor is there any definition for it. Today, the Prime Minister is using the term 'Mental Naxal' (ideological Naxal) for his political opponents from the Red Fort," Jairam Ramesh alleged.
Ramesh also alleged that issues earlier criticised by the government were later adopted as policy measures.