Trivedi said that Prime Minister Modi had raised an important issue in his Independence Day address and expressed surprise over remarks attributed to Congress leader P Chidambaram within 24 hours of the speech.
“PM Modi raised a very important topic of ‘Dimagi Naxal’ on Independence Day. We are surprised that within 24 hours of this, Congress leader P Chidambaram has said that he is proud of being a ‘Dimagi Naxal,’ Trivedi said.
The BJP spokesperson then referred to a statement made by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2006, when he had described Naxalism as a major internal security challenge facing the country.
“I want to remind Congress and P Chidambaram that on 13th April 2006, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh said, ‘It would not be an exaggeration to say that the problem of Naxalism is the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country’,” Trivedi said.
Drawing a contrast between the two positions, Trivedi questioned the Congress over which assessment it considered correct.”I want to ask the Congress – who was right, Dr Manmohan Singh or P Chidambaram?” he said.
The remarks come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, spoke about the government’s efforts to eliminate Naxalism and warned against what he described as a ‘Naxal mentality’. Modi said that while armed Naxalism had been tackled, the country also needed to remain alert against those who, according to him, seek to damage India through other means.
The Prime Minister’s remarks have since triggered a political debate, with opposition leaders questioning the terminology and the government’s approach to critics and dissenters.
The BJP, meanwhile, has defended Modi’s remarks and sought to frame the issue as part of a broader debate over internal security, national interests and ideological challenges.
Trivedi’s comments specifically invoked the position taken by the previous Congress-led UPA government on Naxalism. His reference to Manmohan Singh’s 2006 statement was aimed at questioning whether the Congress currently maintains the same assessment of the threat.
The debate over the term ‘Dimagi Naxal’ is also unfolding against the backdrop of the government’s continued emphasis on countering left-wing extremism. The Centre and security forces have in recent years highlighted operations against armed Maoist groups and efforts to reduce the geographical footprint of Naxal violence.
Trivedi’s statement adds another political dimension to the Independence Day debate, with the BJP seeking to contrast the Congress’ current response with statements made by leaders of its own earlier government.
The Congress has criticised the use of labels such as ‘Dimagi Naxal’, arguing that disagreement with the government or questioning its policies should not be equated with extremism. The BJP, however, has maintained that the term refers to individuals or ideological networks that it believes indirectly support or promote anti-national narratives.
The exchange is expected to continue as political parties debate the Prime Minister’s Independence Day remarks and the broader question of how India should address both armed extremism and ideological challenges.
