A political row erupted over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to “dimagi [intellectual] Naxals” in his Independence Day address, with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifying on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that the remark was not aimed at Opposition leaders.

In a post on X, Mr. Rijiju said Mr. Modi’s comments were directed only at those who “support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution”, “stand with separatists and support Article 370 [special status for J&K]”, and those who “want to cut the chicken neck to separate the north-east from India”. Mr. Modi didn’t say Opposition leaders are dimagi Naxals, Mr. Rijiju said, listing the categories the Prime Minister purportedly referred to.

The clarification came after senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram posted on X: “I am proud to be a dimagi Naxal!”

Addressing the nation on the 80th Independence Day on Saturday (August 15, 2026), Mr. Modi warned against “dimagi Naxals”, alleging that they had entrenched themselves in the system and continued to influence society through policy manipulation. He said that while “armed Naxals may have gone”, “dimagi Naxals are lurking around”, and called for “identifying and isolating” them.

The Prime Minister’s remarks drew sharp reactions from the Congress. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera mocked Mr. Rijiju’s post, pointing to the numbering in his list. “Brother Kiren Rijiju, get your counting right first, then we’ll answer. After 1 and 2 comes 3, not 4,” Mr. Khera wrote on X.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh backed Mr. Khera, saying, “Entire Political Science’s kamaal [magic],” in an apparent reference to Mr. Modi’s educational qualification, listed in one of his affidavits as “entire political science”. 

‘No surprise’

The BJP leaders, meanwhile, stepped up their attack on Mr. Chidambaram. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey shared an old video of the former Home Minister in which he purportedly argued against acquiring and inducting nuclear weapons without a wider debate in Parliament and the country.

“Looking at the state of the world today, tell me if this statement by Chidambaram, a leader of Sonia Gandhi-led Congress, is the statement of a ‘dimagi Naxal’ or not?” Mr. Dubey said.

BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh also targeted Mr. Chidambaram, saying there was “no surprise” in his stance and alleged that he had been the “PMC (Project Management Consultant) of the saffron terrorism project of the UPA”.

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said the term “dimagi Naxals” had “hit them right where it hurts”, adding that it was “a delight to see them writhing like snakes in a sandpit”.