New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to “dimagi Naxals” in his Independence Day speech was not directed at opposition leaders, but at those who support Maoists and separatists and reject the Indian Constitution.
Rijiju’s remarks came amid a political row over the Prime Minister’s use of the term during his address to the nation on the 80th Independence Day on Saturday.
Modi had warned against the presence of “dimagi Naxals” within the system, alleging that they continue to pose a threat to society by influencing policies. He said that while armed Naxalism may have declined, “dimagi” or intellectual Naxals were still active and called for their identification and isolation.
The remarks drew strong criticism from opposition leaders, who accused the Prime Minister of attempting to stigmatise dissent and target those who question the government.
Responding to the criticism, Rijiju said the Prime Minister was not referring to opposition leaders and asserted that the term applied only to those who support Maoists and separatists and reject the Constitution of India.
