Chidambaram says he’s proud to be a ‘dimagi Naxal’; Rijiju says PM didn’t mean Opposition leaders

Political tensions erupted following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech, which included a reference to "dimagi Naxals," a term coined by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. In his post on X, Mr. Rijiju clarified that the term was not intended to insult Opposition leaders. Instead, Mr. Modi was directing the label at those who support Maoists, separatists, and those who seek to divide the Northeast from India.

The clarification came hours after Congress leader and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram proudly declared himself a "dimagi Naxal" on X. Mr. Modi had earlier warned against the presence of "dimagi Naxals" in society, stating that while armed Naxals may have diminished, a new breed of intellectual Naxals was now influencing policy through manipulation.

Congress leaders, including Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh, criticized Mr. Rijiju's characterization, with Khera mocking the numbering in his list and Ramesh referencing Mr. Modi's educational background. BJP leaders, in turn, attacked Mr. Chidambaram, with BJP MPs and national officials alleging that his stance demonstrated his alignment with what they termed "saffron terrorism."