Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has sought to clarify who the government means by “Dimagi Naxals”, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term in his Independence Day address and warned that an ideological form of Naxalism remained a threat. Rijiju said the phrase was not meant to describe opposition leaders as a group and instead listed three categories of people whom he said could be described as “Dimagi Naxals”.
According to Rijiju, the first category includes those who support Maoists and reject the Constitution. The second covers people who stand with separatists and support Article 370, while the third refers to those who want to cut the “chicken neck” connecting the Northeast with the rest of India.
Very unfortunate & highly damaging statement by respected former Home Minister of India.
PM @narendramodi ji didn’t say opposition leaders are Dimagi Naxals. Only following are Dimagi Naxals:1. Who support Maoists and reject Indian Constitution.
2. Who stand with separatists…— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 16, 2026
Rijiju links Maoist support to rejection of Constitution
Rijiju’s clarification came after Modi’s Red Fort speech triggered a political row over the phrase. In his address, Modi said India had succeeded in tackling armed Naxalism in the forests but warned that a “Maoist mindset” had also established itself in corridors of power, including among advisers on government committees, and had influenced public policy.
The prime minister said such people were looking for opportunities to create violence and anarchy and called for them to be “identified” and “isolated”. The term “Dimagi Naxals” is a political expression used in the current debate and is not a formal legal category under Indian law.
Article 370 and separatism included in definition
Rijiju’s second category brings the debate beyond the traditional Maoist insurgency and into the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. He said those who stand with separatists and support Article 370 could also be described as “Dimagi Naxals”.
Article 370 had provided Jammu and Kashmir with special constitutional status until the Centre’s 2019 decision to effectively abrogate the provision and reorganise the former state into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. By including Article 370, Rijiju gave the term a wider political meaning linked to national integration.
‘Chicken neck’ claim brings Northeast into row
The third category cited by Rijiju concerns people who allegedly want to separate the Northeast from the rest of India through the Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”. The narrow corridor in West Bengal connects the northeastern states with the rest of the country and has strategic importance.
Rijiju also shared a video of jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam speaking about the possibility of cutting off Assam and the Northeast from the rest of India through the Siliguri Corridor. The video was posted along with his clarification about who, according to the government, falls under the “Dimagi Naxals” description.
Chidambaram, Opposition hit back at Modi remark
The clarification came as opposition leaders criticised Modi’s remarks. Congress leader P Chidambaram responded by saying he was “proud” to be a “dimagi Naxal”. Rijiju called the former Union Home Minister’s statement “very unfortunate” and “highly damaging”, while stressing that Modi had not described Opposition leaders as a group as “Dimagi Naxals”.
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury questioned the terminology and said labels such as “Dimagi Naxal”, “urban Naxal” and “Khan Market Gang” were being used to disparage intellectuals and dissenters. CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya also criticised Modi’s remarks, saying people should not be intimidated by being labelled Naxals.
The BJP, however, has defended the prime minister’s warning, maintaining that it was aimed at ideological supporters of Maoism rather than legitimate political opposition.
Also Read: ‘Dimaagi Naxals Need to Be Identified, Isolated’: PM Modi’s Big Warning in Independence Day 2026 Speech
Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
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