PM Modi says ‘dimagi naxals’ threaten Constitution, democracy

On March 31 this year, the government had announced that the country was free from the menace of Naxalism after the elimination of many leaders and cadres and the surrender of hundreds of others.

Jagdalpur: Targeting political opponents, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, November 8, said the threat of Naxalism has not ended even though armed Maoists have been eliminated, alleging that “dimagi Naxals” have infiltrated several organisations, including political parties, and are instigating people against the Constitution and democracy.

“We must identify and defeat such elements and secure the country,” Modi said, addressing security personnel while celebrating Diwali at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Karanpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district.

The central armed police forces and personnel of the Chhattisgarh Police have been deployed in Bastar. They were deeply involved in the anti-Naxal operations.

On March 31 this year, the government had announced that the country was free from the menace of Naxalism after the elimination of many leaders and cadres and the surrender of hundreds of others.

Modi said the elimination of Maoist terror was a victory of the country’s right policies and strong political will.

“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’ (a reference to ideological supporters of Naxalites) have taken control of several organisations,” he said.

“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.

Earlier, in his address on the 80th Independence Day in August, the prime minister had also referred to “dimagi Naxals,” saying the country had succeeded in removing armed Naxalism from the forests but warned that its ideological supporters were seeking opportunities to promote violence and anarchy.

During his Bastar visit on Sunday, PM Modi said his government had taken decisions that “dealt a major blow to the funding networks of Naxalites and secessionists”.

“Earlier governments had tied the hands of security forces in the fight on the ground. Maoist attacks took place, but security forces did not have the freedom to retaliate effectively. We gave security forces the freedom to take all necessary decisions,” he said.

The PM said his government has also worked to stop the support that Left-Wing Extremism received from certain people within the government and the system.

The government’s objective is to ensure that no mother loses her child, no family is pushed into devastation, no child takes up arms, and no youth’s future is destroyed, Modi asserted.

“We remained committed to this resolve until the goal was achieved. Without publicity or showmanship, we worked with sensitivity and broke the backbone of Maoist terrorists. We transformed the lives of people in Naxal-affected areas through a spirit of service, which led those suffering from Naxalism to stand firmly with the government and security forces,” he said.

Modi further said government decisions destroyed counterfeit currency networks and disrupted the supply lines of Naxalites and separatists.

The fight against Maoist terror was not easy, he said, recalling that at one point more than 230 districts across nearly 20 states were affected by Naxalism.

“To take the country forward, its enemies must be crushed with unwavering determination and a well-planned strategy,” he said.

“The lack of political will that the country had faced was addressed in 2014, when you gave this Pradhan Sevak the opportunity to serve Mother India,” Modi said.

For the first time in 47 years, not a single CRPF personnel was killed in the line of duty over the past year, he pointed out.

Bastar, which was long considered the epicentre of Left-Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh, has witnessed a significant transformation following intensified anti-Naxal operations, large-scale surrenders and the expansion of development initiatives.

Earlier, in the morning, PM Modi said he would celebrate Diwali along with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, which was freed from the clutches of Naxals after several decades.

“Heading to Bastar to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces,” Modi said in a post on X.

The prime minister said Bastar is an area where Naxalism once held sway, but now, development is flourishing.

“I am going to salute our brave security personnel for their sacrifices, selfless service and unwavering devotion to the nation,” he added in the post.