New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s \u2018dimagi Naxal\u2019 remark in his Independence Day speech sparked a war of words between the Opposition and the BJP, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Sunday said the PM was not referring to opposition leaders but only to those who support Maoists and separatists and reject the Indian Constitution.<\/p>\n
Addressing the nation on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi Saturday warned the country about \u2018dimagi Naxals\u2019 who have allegedly entrenched themselves in the system and continue to pose a threat to society by manipulating policies. He cautioned that \u201carmed Naxals may have gone, but dimagi (intellectual) Naxals are lurking around\u201d and called for \u201cidentifying and isolating\u201d them.<\/p>\n
Opposition leaders decried it as an attempt to stigmatise dissent and those who question the government.<\/p>\n
In a post on X, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju said, \u201cPM Narendra Modi ji didn\u2019t say opposition leaders as Dimagi Naxals.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly following are Dimagi Naxals: 1. Who support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution. 2. Who stand with separatists & support Article 370.<\/p>\n
\u201c4. Who want to cut the chicken neck to separate North-East from India (sic),\u201d he said in veiled reference to student activist Sarjeel Imam, who is in judicial custody in connection with a case under the anti-terror UAPA law.<\/p>\n
Imam was arrested August 25, 2020, and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for being one of the \u201cmasterminds\u201d of the February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi that left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.<\/p>\n
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera took a jibe at Rijiju with a post on X: \u201cBrother Kiren Rijiju, get your counting right first, then we\u2019ll answer. After 1 and 2 comes 3, not 4.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEntire Political Science\u2019s kamaal (The marvel of entire political science),\u201d Jairam Ramesh said, responding to Khera\u2019s comments<\/p>\n
Earlier, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram posted on X, \u201cI am proud to be a dimagi naxal\u201d.<\/p>\n
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey posted an old video of former home minister Chidambaram where he can be purportedly heard pitching against \u201cacquiring\u201d nuclear weapons and inducting them into Indian armed forces until there is a \u201cfull and proper debate\u201d in the country and in Parliament about its need.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking 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 \u2018dimagi naxal\u2019 or not?\u201d Dubey said on X.<\/p>\n
In a post on X, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh also slammed Chidambaram, saying, \u201cNo surprise \u2018\u00c2\u00a6. He was the PMC ( Project Management Consultant ) of Saffron Terrorism \u2013 Bhagwa Atankwad project of UPA\u201d.<\/p>\n
BJP\u2019s IT department head Amit Malviya said that \u201c\u2018Dimaagi Naxals\u2019 has hit them right where it hurts. It is such a delight to see them writhing like snakes in a sandpit\u201d.<\/p>\n
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