Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal has spoken out against individuals he describes as ‘dimagi Naxals’ (intellectual Naxals), a term recently used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address. In a video shared on Facebook, Lal claimed that these individuals pose a greater risk to India than left-wing extremists in forested regions.
According to Lal, ‘dimagi Naxals’ do not live in forests or remote wilderness areas and do not carry weapons. Instead, they rely on their intellect and are often seen in the guise of professors, teachers, NGO leaders, intellectuals, poets, and writers in cities. Lal alleged that they instil their violent ideology in the minds of young people through articles, conferences, and seminars.
Lal, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, claimed that the primary aim of these individuals is to undermine public confidence in India’s democratic institutions. He stated that they ‘sow seeds of distrust among the people about our Constitution, democratic institutions, the judiciary, and security forces.’
The Congress party has reacted sharply to Lal’s remarks, with national secretary Shahnawaz Alam saying that the BJP will try to single out and target intellectuals, academicians, journalists, and writers who speak about logic, reasoning, democratic values, and a just society. Alam described Lal’s statement as a ‘very dangerous sign for the country.’
Prime Minister Modi had previously stated that Naxalism had been eliminated, but ‘dimagi Naxals’ had to be ‘identified and isolated’ to bring the youth of India together to realise the goals of ‘Viksit Bharat.’
