'Congress turning into Maoist party': Rijiju

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Congress party of morphing into a Maoist entity, following criticism over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's use of the term "dimagi naxals". During Independence Day, Modi had differentiated between those who joined the Naxalite movement and those who remain ideologically committed to Maoist principles, labeling the latter as "dimagi naxals" - those who aim to fragment the country and support separatist agendas.

Congress MP P Chidambaram took the Prime Minister's remarks in stride, proudly declaring himself a "dimagi naxal" on social media. However, Rijiju argued that the Prime Minister's statement was not specifically directed at the opposition. Instead, he claimed that the National Advisory Council, headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, was now dominated by individuals espousing such ideologies. Consequently, he asserted that the entire Congress party is now aligning itself with Maoist principles.

Rijiju further contended that Congress has become akin to the Muslim League, moving in the same direction as the party. He emphasized that under Modi's leadership, armed Naxalites have largely been eliminated; however, the ideological threat persists in urban areas. Rijiju defined "dimagi naxals" as those who incite division, support Article 370, and seek the partition of the Northeast region. He accused Congress of espousing this viewpoint, suggesting that the party may already subscribe to these beliefs.