Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on "Dimagi Naxals" during his 80th Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, an Instagram handle called 'Dimagi Naxal Party' surfaced overnight and gained over 1.6 lakh followers in just a day. The account has since been taken down.
On visiting the page, users now see a message stating, "The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed."
Before it was taken down, the account reportedly had 62 posts and followed around 35 people. Information on Instagram showed that the account was opened this month, while its log indicated that the username had been changed once. The identity of the person or group running the account remains unknown.
The account also shared a message on X claiming that its Instagram page had been suspended. "Dimag se Paidal Group has Suspended our Instagram Account... But we are Dimagi People... We shall be back soon... Keep an eye meanwhile on the only official page," it said.
The account surfaced shortly after PM Modi used the term "dimagi Naxal" during his Independence Day address, while referring to the government's achievements in its fight against Maoism.
"We have succeeded in eliminating armed Naxals from the forests and liberating the nation from that crisis. However, while armed Naxals are gone, dimagi (intellectual) Naxals are lurking around," PM Modi said.
Political row over 'Dimagi Naxal' remarks
PM Modi's remarks also triggered a political row. Former Home Minister P Chidambaram posted, "I am proud to be a dimagi naxal!"
Reacting to his remarks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said it was an "unfortunate" and "highly damaging" statement from a former Home Minister.
Rijiju clarified that PM Modi had not said that opposition leaders were "Dimagi Naxals". He also outlined what he described as the criteria for the term, saying it referred to those who support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution, stand with separatists, support Article 370, or want to cut the "chicken neck" to separate the Northeast from the rest of India.
The sudden rise and disappearance of the Instagram account has added another layer to the political debate surrounding the term used by PM Modi in his Independence Day speech.
