Hannan Mollah Hits Back at Kiren Rijijus Mental Naxal Remark, Calls Him a Mental Criminal

New Delhi, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : Hannan Mollah, a leader of the CPI(M), launched a fierce counterattack against Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday. This exchange arose after Rijiju labeled actor Naseeruddin Shah a “dangerous urban mental naxal” in a post on social media platform X.

In his post, Rijiju expressed surprise at Shah’s character, stating, “I used to think Naseeruddin Shah was just a regular actor. I respected and liked him. I had no idea he was a dangerous urban mental naxal. I have only recently learned about his true character. He is extremely harmful to India’s democracy.”

Responding to Rijiju’s comments, Mollah criticized the minister for his apparent lack of understanding regarding India’s freedom struggle, democracy, constitution, and fundamental rights. He remarked, “Kiren Rijiju lives in his own thought bubble. He has no comprehension of India’s independence, democracy, or constitution.”

Mollah defended Shah, noting that he is a distinguished actor with international recognition. He argued that if Shah supports the JNU protesters, his views should be heard rather than subjected to personal attacks.

Mollah further accused the government of labeling those who question authority or speak out against wrongdoing as “brainwashed naxals.” He stated that individuals who act as agents, sycophants, or blind devotees are the ones who should be considered mentally ill or “mental criminals.” He emphasized a growing divide in the country, asserting that while Shah is called a “brainwashed naxal,” he refers to Rijiju as a “mental madman.”

In a related critique, Congress MP J.B. Mathur also condemned the BJP’s rhetoric. He noted, “Anyone who voices opinions contrary to the BJP’s stance is given derogatory labels. Sometimes it’s ‘tukde-tukde gang’, sometimes ‘urban naxal’, and now ‘mental naxal’. This is their modus operandi. It’s no surprise they resort to such name-calling.”