PM Modi desperate, ‘time to pick up the yoke’ is fast approaching: Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributes sweets during a Diwali celebration program with security forces at the CoBRA operational base in Karanpur, Bastar on November 8, 2026. | Photo credit: ANI

The Congress on Sunday (November 8, 2026) attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his “dimagi Naxals” (ideological supporters) lashed out at political rivals, saying he was clearly upset, agitated and desperate and his “time to pick up the yoke” was fast approaching.

The opposition party’s dig came after Mr Modi targeted political opponents, saying armed Maoists had been eliminated but “Naxal demagogues” had infiltrated several political parties and organizations and were inciting people against the constitution and democracy.

“We have to identify and defeat such elements and secure the country,” Modi said as he celebrated Deepavali with security personnel at a CRPF camp in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, continuing his tradition of spending the festival with India’s brave men and women in uniform.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister did not spare the nation even on Deepavali from his “trademark abuse”. “He again spoke of what he calls ‘dimagi naxals’. He used a very solemn non-political occasion, donning the uniform of the security forces and hurling invectives at his political rivals,” Mr Ramesh said on X.

This is a brazen assault on all institutional norms, but when did that stop this man, he asked.

It was on April 28, 2024 that he said those demanding a caste census were urban naxals and later on April 30, 2025 he announced that the caste census would be conducted as part of the 2027 census, Mr. Ramesh said.

Earlier, in September 2020, he termed those agitating against the three black farm laws as supporters of Naxal ideology and later, on November 19, 2021, he withdrew these laws, the Congress leader pointed out.

“The Prime Minister is obviously upset, upset and desperate. The time to pick up Jhola is fast approaching,” Mr Ramesh said.

In his remarks in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, Mr Modi said the government had taken a decision that had “dealt a very big blow to the funding of Naxals and separatists”.

The elimination of Maoist terror was a victory of right politics and strong political will of the country, said Modi, dressed in a military-style camouflage uniform and hat.

“Amidst the successes, we have to remember one more thing. The Naxalites have been eliminated, but the menace is not over. The armed Naxalites have disappeared from the forests, but the ‘dimagi Naxals’ (their ideological supporters) have taken over several organizations,” he said.

“Even today, they are inciting people against the country’s constitution and democracy. They have infiltrated several political parties and various organizations. We must identify and defeat them and secure the country,” he added.

In his Independence Day speech in August, Mr Modi also referred to the “imagination of Naxals”, saying the country had succeeded in eliminating armed Naxalism but its ideologues were looking for opportunities to promote violence.

Published – 08 Nov 2026 17:35 IST