Modi warns of 'dimagi Naxals,' opposition decries dissent curbs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address on August 15, 2026, to warn of a lingering ideological threat he termed "dimagi Naxals," prompting immediate and sharp criticism from opposition parties who accused him of stigmatizing dissent. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi, Modi declared that while India had successfully eliminated armed Naxalism from its jungles, individuals with a "Naxal mindset" continued to pose a danger by seeking to influence policy and instigate unrest.

In his 13th consecutive Independence Day speech, Modi stated that his government, which came to power in 2014, had made eradicating left-wing extremism a priority and had largely succeeded against armed cadres. "We have succeeded in eliminating armed Naxals in the forests and freeing the nation from that crisis," he said. "However, while the armed Naxals are gone, the dimagi Naxals remain, and those who harbour this mindset are waiting for an opportunity." He alleged that for years, people with Maoist thinking had established themselves in corridors of power and on government committees, influencing public policy. Modi called for these "mental Naxals" to be...