Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'dimagi naxal' remark, and said, "I am proud to be a dimagi naxal".

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Mr. Chidambaram's dig at the PM came a day after Mr. Modi warned the country about the 'dimagi naxals' who have allegedly entrenched themselves in the system and continue to pose a threat to society by manipulating policies. Mr. Modi urged the citizens to "identify and isolate" them.

Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, the Prime Minister said the country had succeeded in removing armed Naxalism from the forests but warned that its ideological supporters were seeking opportunities to promote violence and anarchy.

Hitting back at the PM, Mr. Chidambaram said on X, "I am proud to be a dimagi naxal!" In his remarks, Mr. Modi had said, "For years, people with a Maoist mindset had established themselves in the corridors of power. They had served as advisers on government committees and influenced public policy." The Prime Minister said we must not underestimate this challenge and need to remain even more vigilant.

He said decades of Naxalism and Maoist violence had destroyed the lives and aspirations of millions of young people, with over 3,500 police and security personnel killed in the conflict, a number much higher than the soldiers who are killed during wars.

"Naxalism held a very large part of India and a huge population in its grip, at gunpoint," he said.

The Prime Minister had said his government, which took office in 2014, had made ending Naxalism a priority.

"Decades-old challenges must be brought to an end. Naxalism and Maoism have destroyed the future of millions of young people. They have taken away the sons of countless mothers, ruined families, and shattered the dreams of parents," he had said.

"Today, I am happy that Naxalite and Maoist violence is being brought to an end. In areas where the bullets of Naxalites once rang out, where bloodshed was once commonplace, the tricolour of development, trust, and effort is now flying because these areas have been freed from Naxalism," he had said.

Published - August 16, 2026 10:59 am IST