From 'tukde-tukde' to 'dimagi Naxal': Opposition says Modi's labels keep coming

Opposition leaders on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “dimagi Naxals” reference in his Independence Day address, accusing him of using labels to target dissent, while also tearing into his appeal to parties to implement women’s reservation and questioning the linking of it with delimitation.

CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby stated that while his party opposes Naxalism, it accuses the government of violating the law and the Constitution in its handling of Maoists. He described the prime minister’s reference to individuals with a “Naxal mentality” as an attempt to target the Opposition.

“Naxalism is a political perspective and approach with which we all fully disagree. We don’t support the modus operandi of Maoists or Naxals. They take up arms and don’t participate in general democratic political activity,” Baby told PTI Videos.

“But now, his narrative is that urban Naxals are there; now he says ‘people with Naxal mentality’... They always want to accuse people in opposition that they are anti-national, and to go to Pakistan. This is a very convenient accusation that they are Maoist in their mind. It is an atrocious allegation,” he said.

Baby also accused the Modi government of engaging in “state terrorism” regarding its treatment of arrested Maoists, alleging that some individuals were shot dead in custody rather than being subjected to legal proceedings.

On the topic of women’s reservation, he urged all political parties to press the government to implement the quota in existing seats instead of linking it to delimitation.

“All political parties would like to appeal to the prime minister to stop double standards regarding women’s reservation. We are for reservation for women in existing seats. He is linking delimitation and women’s reservation. Bring it separately; we will show support,” he said.

CPI General Secretary D. Raja accused Modi of targeting dissenters even on Independence Day, describing the term “dimagi Naxal” as another way to stigmatise those who question the government.

“Prime Minister Modi finds time and opportunity to target dissenters even on a solemn national occasion like Independence Day, conveniently forgetting what the people of India are asking of him and his government,” Raja said.

“To the baseless categories repeatedly conjured up by the Right Wing: ‘anti-national’, ‘tukde-tukde gang’ and others, Modi has now added another absurd label: ‘dimagi Naxal’. This is nothing but an attempt to stigmatise dissent and intimidate those who question the government,” he said.

Raja urged the prime minister to address the concerns raised by students and young people regarding education and employment.

“India’s youth and students are on the streets demanding educational and employment reforms. Did you answer their questions? Why have nearly a lakh government schools been closed? Why has public education been allowed to deteriorate so badly? Why are millions of young people struggling for secure employment?” he asked.

CPI Rajya Sabha MP P. Sandosh Kumar asserted that the government has no justification for delaying the women’s quota when all parties support the legislation.

“All parties are supporting the bill, so what prevents the prime minister and his colleagues from implementing reservation for women? The answer is very simple. Our position was very clear: out of the 543 seats, 181 seats must be reserved for women, without any delay,” Kumar said.

He alleged that the BJP deliberately linked women’s reservation with delimitation, asserting that the quota should be implemented independently and without waiting for the exercise.

“If these people are serious, and if this is not merely rhetoric, they should implement one-third reservation for women as early as possible,” he said.

TMC leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale also attacked Modi’s remarks, accusing him of using the Independence Day platform to target his critics.

“Shame that Modi used the occasion of Independence Day to take cheap shots calling his opponents ‘Dimaagi (Mental) Naxals’,” Gokhale said in a post on X.

“Instead of apologising to the youth for using violence and pellet guns on them, Modi is peddling his usual nonsense. Dump the ego, Mr PM. It’s not helping,” he said.

TMC Lok Sabha MP leader Kirti Azad criticised Modi over what he described as unfulfilled promises made in successive Independence Day addresses, citing prices, unemployment and inflation.

“Over the past 12 years, people have listened with great expectations every time the Prime Minister delivered his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. But none of those promises have been fulfilled,” Azad said.

The opposition leaders’ remarks came after Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, said Maoist extremism was “breathing its last” and called for identifying and isolating “dimagi Naxals”.

Modi said armed Naxalism had destroyed the future of several youths and alleged that people with a “Naxal mentality” had earlier occupied positions of influence in government committees and policymaking.

He also appealed to political parties to come forward to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, saying the issue had remained caught in politics for 40 years.

The Women’s Reservation Bill, formally the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, was passed by Parliament in September 2023 and became the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act after receiving presidential assent. It provides for reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Assembly for women.

The law, however, provides that the reservation will take effect after a delimitation exercise following the publication of the first census figures after its commencement.

The provision has become a point of contention between the government and the opposition, with opposition parties demanding that the quota be implemented without waiting for the exercise.