Modi threatens to target 'intellectual Naxals' in Independence Day speech

Modi threatens to target'intellectual Naxals' in Independence Day speech India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the country has largely eliminated a Maoist rebellion which it battled for decades but still faces a threat from the movement's ideological backers. Speaking on India's Independence Day on Saturday, Modi said India had succeeded in "getting rid of armed Naxals" - referring to members of the Maoist-influenced Naxalite movement that challenged state authority across swaths of central and eastern India. The phrase "dimagi Naxal" echoes the politically charged label "urban Naxal," a term Modi and leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party have previously used for activists, academics, intellectuals and other government critics. The remarks come weeks after a youth-led protest movement, the Cockroach Janta Party, emerged as a rare challenge to Modi's government and helped force the resignation of his education minister . While Modi did not mention the protests, he repeatedly highlighted initiatives aimed at young Indians, including AI skills training and free online coaching for competitive exams.