I am a 'Dimagi Naxal': Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal identified himself as a 'Dimagi Naxal' during a talk on democracy and horse trading. He criticized the practice of horse trading as a constitutional crisis that undermines representative government.
Why it matters
Reflects the intense political rhetoric in India and the ongoing debate regarding political ethics and democratic integrity.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday (September 13, 2026) said that he was a 'Dimagi Naxal', a term coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and used by the BJP to attack those they accuse of being ideological sympathisers of Naxalism.
Mr. Sibal referred to himself as a 'Dimagi Naxal' while speaking at a talk in Kochi on 'Horse Trade and Democracy'.
"I have to make a confession. I am a 'Dimagi Naxal'," he said while beginning his speech.
Mr. Modi had used the term as a warning to the country about "dimagi naxals" who have allegedly entrenched themselves in the system and continue to pose a threat to society by manipulating policies.
He had urged citizens to "identify and isolate" them.
On the topic of horse trading, Mr. Sibal said that during ancient times the equine species playing an important role in "determining the outcome of wars".
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