Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday hit out at opposition parties over their criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Maoist mentality” remarks, insisting that the PM did not refer to opposition leaders as ‘dimagi naxal’, or people with a Naxal mindset.
He had dismissed the idea of a caste census as ‘Urban Naxal’ thinking, yet a year ago, he announced a caste-based census. “The reality is that he eventually accepts the issues and demands raised by the very people he labels as ‘Urban Naxals. First, you make derogatory remarks–calling them ‘Urban Naxals’ or ‘Mental Naxals’–but later, you accept the very demands your political opponents were making…
Even after 12 years, there was nothing new in his political speech,” the Congress leader said. In a post on the social media platform X, Rijiju shared a list, he said, was the one PM Modi was referring to in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Saturday.
“For years, people with Maoist thinking were there in public life, even in government committees; this thinking had affected various institutions and initiatives. “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. They also referred to people who call for cutting off the Chicken’s Neck to separate India’s northeast from the rest of the country.
My dear countrymen, we have been able to curb and free the country from ‘hathariya naxal’ (armed naxal),” PM Modi said. Earlier reporting noted: In a post on X, the parliamentary affairs minister said the words “dimagi Naxals” referred only to those who supported Maoists and rejected the Constitution, those who stood with separatists and supported Article 370. Rijiju said. Earlier reporting noted: He said while Maoists who took up arms in the jungle have been eliminated, there were also “dimagi Naxals” who should be “identified and isolated” so that the country can move forward.
Today, the Prime Minister is using the term ‘Mental Naxal’ (ideological Naxal) for his political opponents from the Red Fort,” Jairam Ramesh alleged. Earlier reporting noted: Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not refer to Opposition leaders as people with a Maoist mindset, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said today amid swipes by Congress leaders including P Chidambaram on the matter.
His remarks had caused an uproar in the opposition.
Rijiju’s remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that “dimagi naxals” need to be identified and “isolated”. Earlier on Sunday, Congress leader P Chidambaram, pointing at PM Modi’s speech, wrote in a post on X that he was “proud to be a Dimagi Naxal.”
