Dimagi naxals trying to stall nation's progress through instability, anarchy: Dharmendra Pradhan

Patna: Former Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday launched a veiled attack on the opposition and urged the people to reject "dimagi naxals" who were "out to stall the nation's march towards progress" through "instability and anarchy".

The senior BJP leader was responding to queries from journalists about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to paramilitary personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, a Maoist-affected region that the PM visited on Diwali to boost the morale of security forces.

In his address, Modi spoke about the need to weed out "dimagi naxals", a term he had first used during his Independence Day speech this year.


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The remark had triggered sharp reactions from several opposition leaders, who alleged that the prime minister was "instigating" paramilitary personnel, who have already faced allegations of firing pellets at protesters at Jantar Mantar.

Pradhan, who had resigned as education minister following demands raised during the Jantar Mantar protests a few months ago, said, "The Prime Minister is right. Under his leadership the country is becoming secure and prosperous. Those feeling frustrated at the progress deserve to be called dimagi naxals".

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"It was nice that the PM spent his day among our paramilitary forces and shared with them his thoughts about the state of the nation. The people of the country must also be on their guard against those who are out to stall the nation's march towards progress through instability and anarchy", added the BJP leader.

Pradhan, who had earlier been the party's in-charge for Bihar, also extended greetings to the people of the state ahead of Chhath, the most popular festival of Bihar, and said the upcoming tour of the PM to Vaishali district on November 21, "will accelerate the pace of growth".

Later, Pradhan met JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, a former chief minister, at the residence of the latter, whom he is understood to have extended the invitation for his daughter's wedding.