# Kiren Rijiju says PM Modi didn’t call opposition ‘dimagi naxals’

2026-08-16T11:45:59+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 4 independent outlets

Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi naxal' remark during his Independence Day speech was not aimed at opposition leaders. In a post on X, Rijiju listed three categories he said the term referred to: those who support Maoists and reject the Constitution, those who back separatists and Article 370, and those who want to cut the Chicken's Neck corridor to separate the North-East from India. The clarification came after Congress leaders criticised the remark. In his August 15 address from the Red Fort, PM Modi said India had curbed armed Naxalism but warned that 'dimagi naxals' (people with Naxal thinking) were still seeking opportunities to promote violence and needed to be identified and isolated. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called the term hollow political rhetoric, drawing a parallel to the earlier phrase 'urban naxal', which he said Parliament had established had no definition. Former Congress chief P Chidambaram posted on X that he was 'proud to be a Dimagi Naxal'.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/didnt-call-opposition-leaders-dimagi-naxals-rijiju-on-pm-modis-i-day-remarks/articleshow/133273350.cms>
- livemint.com <https://www.livemint.com/news/india/did-pm-modi-label-opposition-as-dimagi-naxal-in-his-i-day-speech-kiren-rijiju-clarifies-amid-row-11786874466008.html>
- newindianexpress.com <https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Aug/16/kiren-rijiju-clarifies-pm-modis-dimagi-naxals-remark-says-was-not-aimed-at-opposition-leaders>
- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-didnt-say-kiren-rijiju-defends-narendra-modi-dimagi-naxal-remark-shares-list-p-chidambaram-says-proud-101786879450170.html>

This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources. Last updated 2026-08-16T13:55:50+00:00.

Tags: Article 370, Congress, Jairam Ramesh, Kiren Rijiju, Maoists, Narendra Modi
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