'Didn't call opposition leaders dimagi naxals': Rijiju on PM Modi's I-Day remarks

NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on "dimagi naxals" were not meant for the opposition leaders.Amid opposition's criticism over PM's remarks during his Independence Day speech, Rijiju said that the "dimagi naxals" referred only to those who supported Maoists and rejected Constitution."PM Narendra Modi ji didn't say opposition leaders as dimagi naxals," Rijiju said in a social media post on X."Only following are dimagi naxals: 1. Who support Maoists and reject Indian Constitution. 2. Who stand with separatists & support Article 370. 3. Who want to cut chicken neck to separate North-East from India," he added.In his Independence Day speech, PM Modi said that while Naxals who took up arms in the jungle have been eliminated, there are also "dimagi naxals", who are in various parts of the country and need to be "identified and isolated.""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)," The Prime Minister said."Even if these naxals are gone, but the 'dimagi naxal' (people with naxal thinking), are looking for an opportunity, looking to see ways of violence, and trying to drag the country to a wrong path. We need to identify these dimagi naxal, isolate them, and bring the youth together for a developed country," he added.Soon after his speech, Congress dismissed PM Modi's warnings against "dimagi naxals" as hollow political rhetoric.Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the term carries no real substance, drawing a parallel to previous debates surrounding the phrase "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.Raelier in the day, former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on also targeted PM Modi over his “dimagi naxal” remarks, saying he was “proud” to be described by the term.“I am proud to be a dimagi naxal!” Chidambaram said in a post on X.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.