New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to “ Dimagi Naxals” during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort has triggered a sharp political and media debate. The controversy has now moved prominently to social media platform X, where politicians and journalists are exchanging strong reactions over the term and its possible targets.
The debate gained momentum after former Union Home Minister and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram responded to the Prime Minister’s remarks by saying that he was proud to be described as an “ Dimagi Naxals.” His reaction drew a response from Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who expressed surprise that a former Home Minister would use such a description for himself.
Rijiju, however, also maintained that the Prime Minister had not identified or named any particular opposition leader as an “ Dimagi Naxals” in his Independence Day speech.
The controversy took a new turn when the BJP’s social media wing subsequently circulated images identifying six individuals as “ Dimagi Naxals.” Among those featured were Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, and three other individuals known for views critical of the BJP and the Narendra Modi government.
The inclusion of Rajdeep Sardesai in the BJP’s social media campaign prompted a strong reaction from Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Affairs Editor at The Hindu. In a post on X, she criticised the targeting of the senior journalist and called for the post to be withdrawn. Using the hashtag #JournalismIsNotACrime, she questioned why journalists, student protesters and YouTubers were being singled out when, according to her, the position expressed by the Minister appeared different.
Responding to the controversy, Rajdeep Sardesai invoked the phrase “Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi”, suggesting that poor judgment can prevail when decline approaches. He said journalists were expected to remain persistent questioners of those in power and thanked Suhasini Haidar for publicly supporting him.
विनाश काले विपरीत बुद्धि . As I keep saying , (long before Cockroach Janta Party was formed), journalists are meant to be pesky cockroaches who ask questions of one and all. This too shall pass but thanks @suhasinih for the support. I guess in today’s world you are meant to take… https://t.co/AkLdrs690N
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) August 22, 2026
Sardesai also said that, in the current social media environment, abuse and attempts at defamation were increasingly being treated as a “badge of honour.” He expressed disappointment that a major political force would, in his view, resort to personal campaigns against journalists and other critics.
The controversy has highlighted an apparent disconnect between the clarification offered by Rijiju—that the Prime Minister had not named any individual—and the subsequent social media material circulated by the BJP that explicitly identified several personalities.
For now, the Prime Minister’s remarks have opened up a wider political and public debate over the use of the term “ Dimagi Naxals” and its implications. Critics are questioning whether the phrase is being used to stigmatise political opponents and dissenting voices, while the BJP has defended its broader criticism of those it believes promote certain ideological positions.
As the exchange continues, attention will remain on whether the controversy stays confined to a political war of words or develops into a more serious confrontation. The reactions have also reflected growing apprehension among some outspoken critics of the government, who are closely watching how the “intellectual Naxal” narrative may evolve in the days ahead.
