Rahul Gandhi renewed his challenge to Narendra Modi for a public debate after the prime minister’s alleged remark on opposition leaders
The Congress leader responded a day after Modi’s Diwali address to CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district
Modi said armed Naxalites had been eliminated but warned that ideological supporters, or “dimagi Naxals”, remained active
Rahul Gandhi on Monday renewed his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a public debate after the prime minister allegedly referred to opposition leaders as "dimagi Naxals". Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, responded a day after Modi’s remarks at a Diwali event for CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh.
The Congress leader referred to Modi’s address to Central Reserve Force personnel and challenged him to debate who was "anti-national" and who was controlled by foreign forces.
“Dear @crpfindia, Your faces said it all: you didn’t buy the PM’s lies. He called us Naxals. My challenge stands. Let him debate me on who is anti-national and who is controlled by foreign forces. Any time, any place. My guarantee: after the debate, the PM won’t have the guts to stand in front of a single jawan again," Gandhi wrote on X.
Modi’s Bastar Remarks
Modi made the remarks on Sunday.
The prime minister celebrated Diwali with personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force at a camp in Karanpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. Addressing the personnel, he said armed Maoists had been eliminated but the threat of Naxalism had not ended.
“Amid the successes, we must remember one more thing. Naxalites have been eliminated, but the threat is not over yet. Armed Naxalites have disappeared from the forests, but ‘dimagi Naxals’ have taken control of several organisations," Modi said.
The remarks came at a CRPF event in a region where the central armed police forces and Chhattisgarh Police personnel deployed in Bastar have played a key role in anti-Naxal operations.
Infiltration Warning
Modi expanded the warning saying that the ideological supporters of Naxalism were still active and were working against the Constitution and democracy. He also alleged that such elements had entered political parties and other organisations.
“Even today, they are instigating people against the country’s Constitution and democracy. They have infiltrated several political parties and different organisations. We must identify and defeat them and secure the country," he added.
Gandhi’s response directly addressed that charge. His post framed the issue as a challenge to Modi to publicly defend his allegation against the opposition.
Earlier Anti-Naxal Claims
The remarks fit Modi’s earlier line on Naxalism. On March 31 this year, the Centre had declared that the country was free from the menace of Naxalism following the elimination of several Maoist leaders and cadres and the surrender of hundreds of others. Modi had described the elimination of Maoist terror as a victory for the country’s right policies and strong political will.
During his Independence Day address in August, the prime minister had also referred to “dimagi Naxals", saying that while armed Naxalism had been removed from forests, its ideological supporters were still looking for opportunities to promote violence and anarchy.
