Opposition Unites Against PM's 'Dimagi Naxal' Remark, Demands Women's Quota Rollout

Opposition parties on Saturday pushed back sharply against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address, objecting to his use of the term "dimagi Naxals" and challenging his appeal for cooperation on women's reservation.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at the Independence Day function at the All India Congress Committee headquarters, said those raising their voices for their rights were not anti-national. "Gen Z, which raises its voice for its rights, is not anti-national," he said, adding that the party would stand with movements concerning people's rights. He said attempts to brand those questioning the government as anti-national ran contrary to the values of the freedom struggle.

Mr. Kharge said independence meant freedom not only from foreign rule but also from poverty, discrimination, untouchability, unemployment, injustice and fear. He credited successive Congress governments with building institutions and enacting rights-based laws covering information, education, food and work, and accused the Modi government of claiming credit for earlier administrations' work. The "real celebration of independence", he said, would come when the poor were heard, young people could pursue their aspirations, and no one feared speaking truth to power.

He also raised the treatment of protesting students, parliamentary accountability and alleged theft of donations made to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying questions about gold, silver and other offerings must be answered and those responsible brought to book. He further alleged government interference in the judiciary, the Election Commission, universities and investigative agencies.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister had earlier labelled opponents "urban Naxals" and was now calling them "dimagi Naxals", describing the shift as a sign of desperation. He called the women's reservation pitch "dishonest", noting that the legislation passed in 2023 was not implemented in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Other parties echoed the criticism. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the Red Fort was not a place from which lies should be spoken, and urged the government to implement women's reservation in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby called the "dimagi Naxal" charge an "atrocious allegation", saying it was a convenient way to accuse opponents of being Maoists in their minds. He argued that the quota should be implemented on existing seats rather than being tied to delimitation.

CPI general secretary D. Raja said the Prime Minister had chosen to target dissenters even on Independence Day. "This is nothing but an attempt to stigmatise dissent and intimidate those who question the government," he said, asking Mr. Modi to respond to students' and young people's questions on education and employment.

The criticism also extended to the Prime Minister's call for political parties to help implement 33% reservation for women in legislatures, with opposition leaders alleging the government had itself kept the quota in abeyance by linking it to delimitation.