Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15, 2026, declared that armed Naxalism and Maoist violence are ‘breathing its last’ while cautioning that ideological threats persist in the form of what he termed ‘dimagi naxals.’
In his speech, PM Modi said security forces had successfully eliminated armed Naxals from forested areas after decades of conflict. ‘In our jungles, we have been successful in weeding out Naxals with weapons. But those with naxal mentality are still around. We have to find and isolate these dimagi naxals,’ he stated.
He described these individuals as people harbouring a Maoist mindset who continue seeking opportunities to promote violence, unrest, and discord, and who attempt to drag society down the wrong path. The Prime Minister alleged that for years, those with a Maoist ideology had entrenched themselves in the corridors of power, including serving as advisers on government committees, and had influenced policies.
He stressed the need to identify and isolate such ‘dimagi naxals’ (often translated as intellectual or mental Naxals) while connecting the country’s youth with the mainstream effort to build a developed nation.
PM Modi recalled the human cost of Naxalism and Maoism, noting that the violence had destroyed the future of millions of young people, taken the lives of countless sons, and shattered family dreams. For nearly four decades, he said, it had held large parts of India and a significant section of the population in its grip ‘through the barrel of a gun,’ while undermining the Constitution. More than 3,500 police and security personnel sacrificed their lives protecting citizens, he added.
Highlighting progress since 2014, when his government resolved to free the country from Naxalism, PM Modi said the violence no longer has the strength to sustain itself. Areas once marked by Naxalite bullets and bloodshed are now seeing the ‘tricolour of development, trust and endeavour’ as they move toward becoming Naxalism-free, he said.
However, comments poured in on social media wondering if those who question the government are broadly being branded as ‘Dimagi Naxals.’
The remarks formed part of a broader address focused on India’s path to becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047.
Other elements included announcements on AI skill training for one crore youth, free online coaching for competitive exams, nuclear energy targets, semiconductor expansion, and a call for political consensus on women’s reservation.
The ‘dimagi naxals’ comment, however, stood out as a pointed warning against lingering ideological challenges even as armed Left-wing extremism declines. The phrase echoes earlier references by Modi and other leaders to ‘urban Naxals,’ though this marked a notable use of ‘dimagi naxals’ in a major national address.