After Chidambaram, Kejriwal calls himself a 'dimaagi Naxal (Img: X)
New Delhi: The political battle over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “dimaagi Naxal” remark has intensified, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal launching a sharp counterattack and saying he considers himself a “dimaagi Naxal” if questioning the government and demanding better facilities for citizens falls under that category.
Kejriwal, in a video message shared on social media platform X, targeted the BJP-led government and said that people who raise questions, seek improvements in education, healthcare and infrastructure, and work towards building a “Viksit Bharat” should not be labelled negatively.
“I am a dimaagi Naxal and I am proud of it because I am a true patriot,” Kejriwal said while reacting to the controversy.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal said that if freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar were alive today, they too could have been called “dimaagi Naxals” for questioning the system and demanding change.
हाँ। मैं दिमाग़ी नक्सल हूँ। क्योंकि मैं देशभक्त हूँ। और मुझे इस पर गर्व है। pic.twitter.com/ADE3YRfvSJ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 17, 2026
According to Kejriwal, a person who asks for better schools, hospitals, roads and public facilities should not be considered against the nation. He alleged that those who question the government or demand reforms are being targeted with such labels.
The controversy began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term “dimaagi Naxal” during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.
PM Modi called for identifying and isolating “dimaagi Naxals”, though he did not provide a detailed explanation of the term during his address. Following the remark, opposition parties criticised the statement, alleging that the term was being used to target people who disagree with the government.
Before Kejriwal’s remarks, senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram had also reacted to the controversy by saying that he was a “proud dimaagi Naxal”.
His statement triggered a response from the BJP, with party leaders questioning the Congress over the remark.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi attacked Chidambaram and referred to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s 2006 statement describing Naxalism as one of the biggest internal security challenges for India. Trivedi questioned whether the Congress agreed with Chidambaram’s statement or with Manmohan Singh’s earlier remarks.
