Opposition hits out at PM Modi's Independence Day speech over ‘Dimaagi Naxals’, women’s reservation

Opposition leaders hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on Saturday (Aug 15), particularly his references to “dimaagi Naxals” and the women’s reservation bill. Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the PM of taking credit for work done by previous governments. Others targeted the political messaging of Modi’s speech.

Kharge accuses PM of taking credit: ‘The world survives…’

Speaking at the Congress headquarters after flag-hoisting, Kharge targeted Modi's Independence Day address. “From the Red Fort, the PM claims credit for everything; it is a mercy he doesn’t claim that the world survives only because of him,” Kharge said.

Kharge credited the previous Congress-led governments with introducing rights-based programmes and legislation covering food, education and employment, including the job guarantee scheme MGNREGA. He attributed these initiatives to Congress and its leader Sonia Gandhi and claimed that the current government “hasn’t done even one such thing”.

The Congress president claimed that the party had contributed around 90 per cent to the country’s development.

Rahul Gandhi skips Red Fort event for second year running

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi did not attend the Red Fort Independence Day ceremony for the second straight year.

In an Independence Day message on X, he focused on democratic values, constitutional principles and the responsibility of citizens. “Freedom is not merely a gift bestowed upon us by our freedom fighters, but also a responsibility,” Gandhi said, calling on citizens to follow the path of truth and non-violence, uphold the Constitution and the Tricolour, and safeguard democracy.

He said he was proud that citizens, particularly young people, were united in protecting these values.

Congress attacks PM Modi's ‘dimaagi naxals’ remark

The Prime Minister’s reference to “dimaagi naxals” emerged as one of the main flashpoints in the opposition response. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused Modi of escalating his language against political opponents. “First he called his opponents ‘urban naxals.’ Now he calls them ‘dimaagi naxals.’ It is a sure sign of his desperation,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla also questioned the use of the term. “Is everyone a Naxal? He should describe the phrase ‘dimaagi Naxal’,” Shukla told ANI new agency, arguing that such language should not be used from the Red Fort.

Women’s reservation becomes another point of attack

Modi’s appeal for the implementation of women’s reservation in parliament drew criticism from Congress leaders, who linked the issue to the proposed delimitation exercise.

Shukla said that if the government genuinely wanted to implement women’s reservation, it could do so, but alleged that delimitation was being pursued “in the garb of women’s reservation”.

Pawan Khera mocks Tricolour handkerchief

Congress media in-charge Pawan Khera focused on another visual moment from the Prime Minister’s appearance, taking a swipe at the way the Tricolour handkerchief appeared.

“Lagta hai sahib ne Urdu mein Tiranga pehna hai (seems like the lord has worn the tricolour in Urdu),” Khera posted on X, and suggested the arrangement of the colours could resemble Ireland’s flag.

Don't tell lies from Red Fort: Akhilesh Yadav's sharp remarks

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticised PM Modi’s Red Fort address “Lal Kile se jhooth nahi bolna chahiye”, he said (the Red Fort is not a place for lies). The BJP and freedom are “opposites”, said Yadav, contrasting what he called the BJP’s “monochromatic” nationalism with the “multi-coloured” nationalism of others. Yadav accused the BJP and RSS of focusing on “Partition Horrors” rather than the Independence Day celebrations and said the Constitution must be protected and strengthened.

In his Independence Day message, Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal said the emergence of Gen Alpha in movements demanding better schools showed that “our children have learned to fight for their rights”, describing this as “true freedom”.

CPI (M) leader and former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke about the broader threats to constitutional and democratic values. In his I-Day message, Vijayan called for introspection over the country’s current political and social conditions, warning that freedom of expression and pluralism face serious challenges. He also cautioned against efforts to weaken “unity in diversity” and divide people along caste and religious lines.