A political row has intensified over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to ‘dimaagi Naxals’ in his Independence Day address, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal launching a sharp attack on the Prime Minister.
Kejriwal accused the BJP-led government of using the term for people who question the government, demand better public services and seek changes in areas such as education and infrastructure.
Kejriwal Says He Is ‘Proud’ to Be Called Dimaagi Naxal
In a video shared on X, Kejriwal said the term could be applied to anyone who refuses to remain silent and asks the government to improve facilities for citizens.
He said:“According to the Prime Minister, a ‘dimaagi Naxal’ is a person who raises questions and wants to bring a change in the education system.”
Kejriwal further said that people demanding better hospitals, roads and other public facilities could also be described in the same way.
He added:“Those who are not afraid of him and the BJP, and want a ‘Viksit Bharat’ is a ‘dimaagi Naxal’.”
Kejriwal then said he considered himself a ‘dimaagi Naxal’ and claimed he was proud of the label because, according to him, questioning the government was an expression of patriotism.
Kejriwal Brings Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar Into Row
The former Delhi Chief Minister also invoked two prominent figures from India’s history — Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar.
Kejriwal said that if the two leaders were alive today, they too could have faced such a label for questioning the system and demanding change.
His comments were aimed at turning the controversy around the term into a wider debate about democracy, dissent and the right to question those in power.
What Did PM Modi Say About ‘Dimaagi Naxals’?
The controversy began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to ‘dimaagi Naxals’ during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.
Modi called for the identification and isolation of people he described using the term.
The Prime Minister did not provide an extensive explanation of exactly whom he meant by ‘dimaagi Naxals’ in his address.
The remark soon became a political flashpoint, with opposition parties interpreting it as a reference to people who challenge the government’s policies.
Congress Also Targets BJP Over Remark
The Congress has also criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks.
Congress leaders have questioned whether the term could effectively be used to describe those who disagree with the central government.
The controversy has therefore moved beyond the original Independence Day speech, with opposition leaders using the term to challenge what they describe as an attempt to portray political criticism as anti-national or extremist.
P Chidambaram Also Says He Is ‘Proud Dimaagi Naxal’
The controversy gained another dimension after former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram reportedly said that he was a “proud dimaagi Naxal”.
His statement drew an immediate response from the BJP.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned the Congress over Chidambaram’s comment.
BJP Asks Congress: ‘Who Was Right?’
Trivedi linked Chidambaram’s remarks to a statement made by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2006, when Singh had described Naxalism as the country’s biggest internal security challenge.
Trivedi said:“PM Modi raised a very important topic of ‘Dimagi Naxal’ on Independence Day. We are surprised that within 24 hours of this, Congress leader P Chidambaram has said that he is proud of being a ‘Dimagi Naxal’… I want to ask the Congress – who was right, Dr Manmohan Singh or P Chidambaram?”
The BJP has used Chidambaram’s statement to question the Congress’s position on the issue.
Political Fight Now Shifts to Meaning of ‘Dimaagi Naxal’
The dispute has now developed into a broader political battle over what the phrase ‘dimaagi Naxal’ means and whom it is intended to describe.
While the BJP has defended the Prime Minister’s warning, opposition leaders have argued that criticism of the government and demands for better public services should not be equated with extremism.
Kejriwal’s latest comments have added another layer to the controversy, with the AAP leader presenting himself as an example of someone who, in his view, is willing to question the government and demand change.
The issue is expected to remain a point of confrontation between the ruling BJP and opposition parties as both sides continue to debate the Prime Minister’s Independence Day remarks.
