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Proud to be an ‘Urban Naxal’! Chidambaram’s retort to PM Modi’s Independence Day speech
New Delhi, August 16, 2026: Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram issued a sharp rebuttal on social media after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term ‘Urban Naxal’ (referred to in Marathi as ‘Dimagi Naxal’ or ‘Naxal of the mind’) during his Independence Day speech. Posting on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Chidambaram stated, “I am proud to be an Urban Naxal!”
In his address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi had remarked that while armed Naxalism has nearly been eradicated, the ‘Urban Naxal’ ideology continues to pose a threat to the country. He called for identifying and isolating such individuals. Modi noted that since 2014, the government has prioritized ending Naxalism and emphasized the need to acknowledge the sacrifices made by thousands of security personnel.
Following Chidambaram’s comment, opposition figures such as Jairam Ramesh, M.A. Baby, D. Raja, and Saket Gokhale also criticized the Prime Minister’s statement. The Congress party alleged that Modi was using the term ‘Urban Naxal’ to target political opponents.
These developments have sparked a political row between the BJP and the Congress, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju responding to Chidambaram’s statement. Rijiju clarified that the Prime Minister had not labeled any specific opposition leader an ‘Urban Naxal’ but was referring to people holding a particular ideology. This exchange took place the day after Independence Day, and the issue is currently being discussed across the country.
New Delhi, August 16, 2026: Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram issued a sharp rebuttal on social media after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term ‘Urban Naxal’ (referred to in Marathi as ‘Dimagi Naxal’ or ‘Naxal of the mind’) during his Independence Day speech. Posting on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Chidambaram stated, “I am proud to be an Urban Naxal!”
In his address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi had remarked that while armed Naxalism has nearly been eradicated, the ‘Urban Naxal’ ideology continues to pose a threat to the country. He called for identifying and isolating such individuals. Modi noted that since 2014, the government has prioritized ending Naxalism and emphasized the need to acknowledge the sacrifices made by thousands of security personnel.
Following Chidambaram’s comment, opposition figures such as Jairam Ramesh, M.A. Baby, D. Raja, and Saket Gokhale also criticized the Prime Minister’s statement. The Congress party alleged that Modi was using the term ‘Urban Naxal’ to target political opponents.
These developments have sparked a political row between the BJP and the Congress, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju responding to Chidambaram’s statement. Rijiju clarified that the Prime Minister had not labeled any specific opposition leader an ‘Urban Naxal’ but was referring to people holding a particular ideology. This exchange took place the day after Independence Day, and the issue is currently being discussed across the country.
In his address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi had remarked that while armed Naxalism has nearly been eradicated, the ‘Urban Naxal’ ideology continues to pose a threat to the country. He called for identifying and isolating such individuals. Modi noted that since 2014, the government has prioritized ending Naxalism and emphasized the need to acknowledge the sacrifices made by thousands of security personnel.
Following Chidambaram’s comment, opposition figures such as Jairam Ramesh, M.A. Baby, D. Raja, and Saket Gokhale also criticized the Prime Minister’s statement. The Congress party alleged that Modi was using the term ‘Urban Naxal’ to target political opponents.
These developments have sparked a political row between the BJP and the Congress, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju responding to Chidambaram’s statement. Rijiju clarified that the Prime Minister had not labeled any specific opposition leader an ‘Urban Naxal’ but was referring to people holding a particular ideology. This exchange took place the day after Independence Day, and the issue is currently being discussed across the country.
