- PM Narendra Modi revived the term "dimagi Naxal" to criticise opposition leaders at a Delhi college event
- He likened the term to a homeopathic pill revealing critics' true nature
- PM Modi urged Gen-Z to envision a developed nation by reflecting on past crises and government responses
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at Opposition leaders by bringing back his recent "dimagi Naxal" while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday.
PM Modi, in a youth-focused message, said the term acted as a homeopathic pill that forced critics to reveal their true colours.
"You may have heard my speech from Red Fort. I gave a homeopathic pill from the Red Fort - dimagi Naxal. According to the principles of homeopathy, when you begin homeopathic treatment, the disease initially gets worse. That is the nature of homeopathy," PM Modi said.
"Similarly, as soon as I gave the 'dimagi Naxal' homeopathic pill, all the 'dimagi Naxals' started coming out one after another. And now the public is also seeing the true colours of those who are promoting this illness," the prime minister said.
His address reached out to Gen-Z with a message about how to outline an aspirational vision for a developed nation. As examples, PM Modi cited the crises that his government had navigated and urged the students to reflect on the past.
"I have told you so many things. Some people may think, 'What is this? This is a country of 140 crore people. It was very easy. What new thing did Modi do?' But was it really that easy? I want to take you back to the old days once again," he said.
Criticising the handling of past national emergencies, he added, "Remember, when you were in school, there was a disaster in Kedarnath in 2013. The entire government was shaken. They simply did not know what to do or how to respond."
He said the previous government's response to the 2008 global financial meltdown was weak and ineffective. "When the banking crisis came in 2008, the government at the time tried to hide behind the crisis for years. It did not even have the courage to tackle it. The entire banking system of India was pushed to the brink of collapse," he stated.
Narrating the challenges his government faced and how he faced them head-on, PM Modi said, "First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the entire world to a standstill. Then the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out. After that, there was a period when trade and supply chains began to be weaponised. Then came the crisis in West Asia. Every time, people said, 'Now India will not survive.' And those who are my biggest admirers were happy, thinking, 'Now Modi is trapped. Now Modi has fallen. Now they will crush him.' But the blessings of the people of my country have so much strength, so much strength, that every wish of those who want India to fail is being left unfulfilled."
He had visited SRCC in 2013 as the Gujarat chief minister and his address to the students then had gained a lot of traction on social media, especially in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
In a post on X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the prime minister used an opportunity for dialogue on the country's youth and related issues for "yet another political campaign."
