‘Under-confident, shaky, nervous’: PM Modi's speech fumble, ‘dimaagi Naxal’ dig trigger Oppn attack, Congress reacts

Opposition parties quickly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a clip surfaced of him appearing fumbling and nervous during his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort. Congress leader Pawan Khera tweeted "Superhuman without teleprompter," while AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal called Modi an "under-confident, nervous and shaky Prime Minister."

The criticism came as Modi's address was notably shorter, lasting around 75 minutes compared to the 90-minute speech delivered in 2023. The opposition targeted Modi's delivery and his comments on "dimagi Naxals" or ideological Naxalism. Modi claimed that while Maoist violence was dwindling, an ideological Naxal mindset persisted in certain institutions, urging authorities to identify and isolate these individuals.

Critics dismissed the term as political rhetoric, drawing parallels to the BJP's earlier use of "Urban Naxal," which faced legal scrutiny. The Congress also lambasted Modi's women's reservation proposal, questioning the government's commitment to the law passed in 2023 and its delayed implementation.