Now Reading: Editors Guild slams BJP for branding journalists ‘Dimagi Naxal’
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Editors Guild slams BJP for branding journalists ‘Dimagi Naxal’
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party's official social media handles for calling journalists who question the government 'Dimagi Naxals', or intellectual Naxals. The Guild singled out the…
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party's official social media handles for calling journalists who question the government 'Dimagi Naxals', or intellectual Naxals. The Guild singled out the targeting of senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, a former Guild president.
The row stems from remarks by BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, who at a press conference said such 'Intellectual Naxals' sympathise with Naxals, celebrate security personnel deaths, and push for street action over parliamentary solutions. BJP handles amplified this in a video naming Sardesai. The Guild said Sardesai has objectively reported and analysed news over a long career.
The Guild called the attack alarming because it came from the ruling party's official handles, warning it undermines democratic credentials and media freedom. It linked the episode to India's fall to 157th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, citing rising violence against journalists and misuse of laws. It urged the BJP to stop casting journalists as public enemies.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The 'Dimagi Naxal' label is the latest in a pattern of the ruling party using charged terms against critics, echoing past phrases like 'tukde-tukde gang' and 'urban Naxal' used since 2016. The Guild's reference to the World Press Freedom Index is a reminder that India's rank has dropped 30 places since 2019 under the same government. The key test is whether the BJP's social media handles will comply with the Guild's demand or escalate the rhetoric ahead of the next election cycle.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
