The Congress on Tuesday intensified its criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his reference to “urban naxals” with senior party leader Jairam Ramesh questioning whether the term is now being broadly applied to all government critics despite the Union Home Ministry previously disowning it.
In a post on X, Ramesh highlighted a contradiction between the prime minister’s recent remarks and the government’s official position in Parliament. “The PM spoke today about the threat from what he called ‘urban naxals’. Yet, on March 11, 2020, the Minister of State for Home Affairs clarified in the Rajya Sabha that the Union Home Ministry does not use the phrase ‘urban naxals’,” Ramesh noted.
Recalling that on April 29, 2024, PM Modi had accused those calling for a caste census and raising concerns about economic inequality of harboring an “urban naxal mindset”, Ramesh questioned, “Will the PM clarify, or does he believe that anyone opposing him is an urban naxal?”
These comments came amid renewed political debate following the prime minister’s warning about ideological threats from “urban naxals”, a term often used to describe alleged sympathizers of left-wing extremism in urban settings.
However, the government has historically maintained a clear distinction between armed left-wing extremism — commonly known as Naxalism or Maoism — and legitimate political dissent. In March 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs formally stated in the Rajya Sabha that it does not officially use “urban naxals,” while acknowledging Maoist efforts to expand influence in cities.
Congress has repeatedly accused the BJP-led government of using such terminology to delegitimize dissent and social justice demands, including calls for a caste census and discussions on inequality. The BJP argues that these critiques overlook critical national security issues and the ideological foundations of extremism.
Ramesh’s recent remarks emphasize the opposition’s effort to frame the Prime Minister’s statements as an attack on democratic dissent, pressing the government to clarify whether “urban naxal” is an official classification or a political label aimed at silencing critics.