Kiren Rijiju Targets Rahul Gandhi, Calls for Action Against Intellectual Naxalites

New Delhi, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : Central Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the success in combating Naxalism. Rijiju emphasized that the next target should be the so-called “intellectual Naxalites.”

In response to Gandhi’s attempts to downplay the government’s achievements against Naxalism, Rijiju posted on social media platform X, stating, “Rahul, thank PM Modi for eliminating armed Maoists. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh identified left-wing extremism and Naxalism as India’s greatest internal security challenge. Now, our focus must shift to dismantling the intellectual Naxalites.”

Recent days have seen sharp exchanges between the BJP and Congress regarding the campaign against Naxalism and foreign interference in Indian politics. During a conversation with CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh, Modi remarked that the eradication of Naxalism is not the final goal. The country still faces the challenge of confronting the “intellectual Naxalites” who have infiltrated various organizations.

Addressing concerns about the impartiality of institutions like the Election Commission, Modi stated that these individuals continue to incite opposition against the Constitution and democracy. “These intellectual Naxalites have embedded themselves in several political parties and organizations. We must identify and defeat them to ensure national security,” he asserted.

In response, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, challenged Modi to a public debate. He sought to discuss allegations that he and other opposition leaders are acting on the behest of foreign powers or are labeled as “intellectual Naxalites.”

In a counter to Gandhi’s claims, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised questions regarding Gandhi’s 2018 pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. In a post on X, Dubey demanded answers to two specific questions: “Rahul Gandhi, which two ministers from China did you meet during your Kailash Mansarovar trip in 2018?” and “Following the agreement between the Congress and the Chinese Communist Party in 2008, how many individuals did you send to China under the exchange program by 2018? What are their names and addresses?”