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Modi's 'Dimagi Naxal' Term: A Shift in Naxalite Discourse
Confirmed
In Short: Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term 'Dimagi Naxal' in his Independence Day speech, sparking controversy and clarifications from his ministry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term 'Dimagi Naxal' (those with a 'Naxalite mindset') in his Independence Day speech, which became a focal point of political discourse. The term, which was initially used as a 'homeopathic pill,' has now become a central part of the Naxalite movement in India, according to reports.
The term 'Dimagi Naxal' was further elaborated by the Prime Minister in an address to students at Shri Ram College of Commerce, though it sparked controversy. Following the speech, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju clarified that the term did not refer to opposition leaders but to those who support Maoists and separatists.
The term 'Naxal' originates from the 1967 peasant uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, which was inspired by the Chinese Communist Revolution. The use of 'Dimagi Naxal' has led to legal action, with BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia filing a defamation case over a social media graphic that attributed the term to one of his opponents.
The controversy over the term has not only highlighted political tensions but also brought to light the historical and social context of the Naxalite movement in India, as detailed by scholar Rajesh Kumar Nayak in his paper on Naxalism and violence in central Bihar.
What's still developing
- In central Bihar, the Naxalites resorted to land grabs and assassinations in the backdrop of the Bihar Abolition of Zamindari Act (1948) and the Land Ceiling Act (1961) largely failing to transfer land to agricultural labourers, leaving them “highly vulnerable” to oppression, including that stemming from caste hierarchy, scholar Rajesh Kumar Nayak has argued in his paper, Naxalism, Private Caste Based Militias and Violence in Central Bihar.
- The post carried a statement attributed to Gaurav Bhatia, describing Swatantra Bhardwaj, who has been accused by the CJP of attacking its activist Nishu Azad’s father, as a “Dimagi Naxal”.
- Bhatia has termed the statement fake and defamatory, and has moved the Delhi High Court seeking legal action against those allegedly responsible for publishing and circulating it.