BJP MP pillories ‘violent ideology’ of ‘dimagi Naxals’

In a video he shared on Facebook on Monday (August 17, 2026), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal spoke of “dimagi Naxals” (intellectual Naxals), a phrase used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi lately in his Independence Day address, describing them as individuals who posed a greater risk to India than left wing extremists in forested regions.

“Today, I want to talk about dimagi Naxals. They do not live in forests or remote wilderness areas. They do not carry weapons or fire bullets. They rely solely on their intellect. In cities, they are seen in the guise of professors, teachers, NGO leaders, intellectuals, poets, and writers. They write articles and organise conferences and seminars. They instil their violent ideology in the minds of young people. These Naxalites are far more dangerous than those who lived in the forests,” Mr. Lal, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1977 batch, said in the video.

The primary aim of these individuals was to undermine public confidence in India’s democratic institutions, Mr. Lal claimed. “They sow seeds of distrust among the people about our Constitution, democratic institutions, the judiciary, and security forces,” the BJP leader said.

The Congress reacted sharply to the Mr. Lal’s remarks. “After the Prime Minister spoke about ‘dimagi naxal’, the playbook is clear. The authoritarian BJP regime will try to single out and target intellectuals, academicians, journalists and writers who speak about logic, reasoning, democratic values and just society. Mr. Brij Lal’s statement shows which section [of society] will be targeted and oppressed by the BJP. It is a very dangerous sign for the country,” Congress national secretary Shahnawaz Alam stated.

Mr. Modi, on August 15, 2026, said Naxalism had been eliminated but “dimagi Naxals” had to be “identified and isolated” so that the youth of India could be brought together to realise the goals of ‘Viksit Bharat’.