GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, August 17, termed Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram a “pure Naxal” while responding to Chidambaram’s recent remark describing himself as a “Dimaagi Naxal”.
ALSO READ: Two Mobile Thieves Disguised as Bol Bom Pilgrims Arrested at Guwahati's Basistha Mandir
Addressing a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur, Sarma said Chidambaram is not merely a “Dimagi Naxal” but someone who, according to him, promotes anarchy in the country.
The Chief Minister was responding to a question on Chidambaram’s post on X after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address on August 15, referred to “Dimagi Naxals” as a new group looking for opportunities to incite violence and anarchy in the country.
Reacting to Modi’s remark, Chidambaram had posted on X, “I am proud to be a dimagi naxal.”
Responding to this, Sarma said, “In my view, Chidambaram isn't just a 'Dimagi Naxal' he is beyond that. He is someone who brings anarchy to the country; he falls into the category of a pure Naxal.”
Sarma also questioned Chidambaram’s record as Union Home Minister, particularly regarding the government’s response to Naxalism during his tenure.
“When Chidambaram was the Home Minister of the country, at that time, you might remember, top Congress leaders including V.C. Shukla were blown up in a bomb blast in Chhattisgarh. Yet, the Congress took no measures to eliminate Naxals,” Sarma said.
The Assam Chief Minister further called for an inquiry into whether Chidambaram’s recent self-description as a “Dimaagi Naxal” should prompt scrutiny of his actions as Home Minister.
“So, I call for an inquiry: when Chidambaram himself admitted to being a 'Dimagi Naxal,' shouldn't there be an investigation into whether he deliberately refrained from taking action against Naxals during his tenure as Home Minister?” Sarma said.
The remarks have intensified the political exchange over Prime Minister Modi’s reference to “Dimagi Naxals” and Chidambaram’s subsequent response, with Sarma now linking the former Home Minister’s comment to his record in dealing with Naxalism during his tenure.