Who's a "Dimaagi Naxal"? An Explainer

[Sukla Sen]

[Who's a "Dimaagi Naxal"?
One who has brains, relies on facts, and opts to use both.]

Here's a (semi-official) explainer, uploaded on August 16, on what the Prime Minister Modi had meant by "Dimaagi Naxals" in his customary Independence Day speech to mark India's 80th Independence Day on the previous day:
<https://youtu.be/kOWro5x33TM>

The one explaining is a BJP MP and former UP DGP Brij Lal.
He has given out a list of "Dimaagi Naxals" and described their alleged modus operandi: Urban/intellectual figures (professors, teachers, NGO heads/operators, intellectuals, poets, writers) who do not carry arms but use articles, conferences, and seminars to spread ideology, especially among youth; create distrust in institutions (judiciary, security forces, Constitution); and are therefore more dangerous than forest-based armed Naxals.

Below is a clean, time‑stamped transcript in Hindi (Devanagari) with an English translation:

0:00–0:13 
*Hindi:*
मैं आज दिमागी नक्सलियों के बारे में बात करना चाहता हूं। यह दिमागी नक्सली जंगलों में बीड़ों में नहीं रहते। यह हथियार लेकर नहीं चलते। यह गोलियां नहीं चलाते। यह सिर्फ और सिर्फ अपना दिमाग चलाते हैं। 

*English:*
Today, I want to talk about “intellectual Naxals” (dimaagi Naxalis). These intellectual Naxals do not live in forests or ravines. They do not carry weapons. They do not fire bullets. They use only their minds.

0:13–0:38 
*Hindi:*
यह शहरों में प्रोफेसर के रूप में, अध्यापक के रूप में, एनजीओ संचालक, बुद्धिजीवी, कवि, लेखक आदि रूपों में यह दिखाई पड़ते हैं। यह लेख लिखते हैं। यह कांफ्रेंस करते हैं। सेमिनार करते हैं और उन कांफ्रेंस में सेमिनार में यह जनमानस में खासकर युवाओं के दिमाग में यह अपनी हिंसक विचारधारा भरते हैं। 

*English:*
They appear in cities as professors, teachers, NGO operators, intellectuals, poets, writers, and in similar roles. They write articles. They hold conferences and seminars, and in those conferences and seminars they fill the public mind—especially the minds of young people—with their violent ideology.

0:38–0:58 
*Hindi:*
इसलिए यह नक्सली उन नक्सलियों से ज्यादा खतरनाक है जो जंगलों में रहते हैं जिनका करीब करीब सफाया हो चुका है। 

*English:*
That is why these Naxals are more dangerous than the Naxals who live in forests, who have been almost completely wiped out.

0:58–1:20 
*Hindi:*
ये हिंसक दिमागी नक्सली ये हमारी लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं, न्यायपालिका, सुरक्षा बलों, संविधान आदि के विरुद्ध लोगों में अविश्वास की भावना पैदा करते हैं। यह युवाओं में भी घुसपैठ करते हैं और उन्हें अपने दिमागी चालाकी से हिंसक गतिविधियों की तरफ मोड़ने का प्रयास करते हैं। 

*English:*
These violent intellectual Naxals create distrust among people against our democratic institutions, the judiciary, security forces, the Constitution, and so on. They also infiltrate among the youth and, through their intellectual cunning, try to steer them towards violent activities.

1:20–1:44 
*Hindi:*
इसलिए आज हमें इन दिमागी नक्सलियों से सावधान रहना है क्योंकि यही लोग हैं जो नक्सलियों का महिमामंडन करते हैं। उनके संबंध में लेख लिखते हैं और उनके लिए फंड जुटाते हैं। फंड की व्यवस्था करते हैं जिससे देश में अराजकता का वातावरण बना रहे। वंदे मातरम। 

*English:*
Therefore, today we must be alert against these intellectual Naxals, because these are the very people who glorify Naxals, write articles about them, and raise funds for them. They arrange funding so that an atmosphere of anarchy continues to prevail in the country. Vande Mataram. 

###

Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, subsequently — in a sort of quick defensive move — explained (and reassured) that "Dimagi Naxal" is not directed at opposition leaders: <https://x.com/i/status/2088973393815384558>.

(For them, just routine ED, CBI, IT, etc., for now?)

If that script is strictly followed, the immediate targets are going to be those who resist from within the pores of civil society.

And let's not forget: this call by the Prime Minister is not only a threat of state action — to intimidate and more; it is also a dog whistle meant to incite mob violence.

[This note is a sequel to "Modi's Independence Day Call: Identify and Eliminate 'Dimaagi Naxals'!" at https://groups.google.com/g/greenyouth/c/7j6TaFGr5MM.]

Peace Is Doable