India must remain vigilant against dimagi Naxals: PM Modi pitches for unity

"Dimagi Naxals" is a political label used by the BJP for intellectuals and activists critical of the government. PM Modi coined the term and used it in his Independence Day speech this year.

In Short

• PM Modi says Naxalism eliminated but warns of ‘dimagi Naxals’ threat
• He dubs Opposition ‘Avrodh Paksh’ for obstructing development
• He claims India avoided impact of global energy crisis due to its unity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned that “dimagi Naxals” continued to pose a threat and sought to create unrest, even as he said the country had eliminated Naxalism.

Addressing the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas – the 151st birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, PM Modi urged people to remain vigilant against forces he accused of spreading misinformation and dividing the country. He also attacked the Opposition, calling it an “Avrodh Paksh”, or an obstructive force.

“Today the back of Naxalism has been broken in the country. In 2015, Left-Wing Extremism had affected 126 districts in the country. By March 2026, there was not a single district in the country that was still affected by Naxalism,” he said.

PM Modi said areas that had witnessed violence for decades were now joining the development mainstream, with roads, mobile networks, schools and healthcare facilities expanding.

“But the danger of ‘dimagi Naxals’ has not yet been eliminated from across the country. The country must always remain vigilant against these dimagi Naxals,” he said.

“Dimagi Naxals” is a political label used by the BJP for intellectuals and activists critical of the government. PM Modi coined the term and used it in his Independence Day speech this year.

OPPOSITION HAS BECOME ‘AVRODH PAKSH’: PM

PM Modi accused the Opposition of obstructing development at a time when India was dealing with external challenges.

“It is our misfortune that at this time in the country, the Opposition has turned into an Avrodh Paksh rather than Virodh Paksh. In their frustration, these people are standing as obstacles in the way of the country's development. This is not opposition, this is obstruction,” he said.

He also accused Opposition leaders of violating constitutional norms and questioned their engagements abroad, without naming anyone.

“Who is secretly meeting whom abroad? Whom are the anti-India forces supporting? Who is speaking the language of India's enemies? We will have to recognise all these patterns,” he said.

The Prime Minister alleged that some forces were conspiring to divide citizens and using social media to spread rumours and tarnish India's image.

“When the country was seeking solutions to external challenges, some forces within the country were also creating instability by spreading lies and rumours. But the countrymen stood shoulder to shoulder with the nation,” he said.

UNITY KEY TO FACING GLOBAL CRISIS

The Prime Minister said the world was going through its most difficult period in several decades, with wars disrupting economies, fuel supplies and global supply chains.

He said some countries had imposed limits on petrol and diesel purchases, while predictions of a severe crisis in India had prompted “anti-India forces” to become active.

“But friends, this is India's capability that we did not let the blow of this global energy crisis fall upon our citizens,” he said.

PM Modi said unity would be India's biggest strength in dealing with these challenges and ensuring stability.

Outlining the country's next goals, he called for securing borders, stopping infiltration and demographic changes, and moving towards a secular civil code.

“We have to completely secure the borders of the country. We have to stop infiltration and the changes happening in demography. We also have to move forward towards a secular civil code,” he said.

PM MODI CITES FALL IN POVERTY

Citing a recent World Bank report, the PM said 50 crore Indians had been lifted out of poverty in the 10-12 years leading up to 2024.

“Earlier, 27 out of 100 people were in the grip of severe poverty. Today, this number has gradually reduced to less than three out of 100,” he said.

He attributed the decline to the government's focus on the welfare and empowerment of the poor, while taking a swipe at previous governments.

“Those who raised the slogan of eradicating poverty kept getting richer themselves,” he said.

PM Modi added that the country was following Patel's path, with “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” and “Viksit Bharat” as its two goals, and working towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

- Ends