PM Modi desperate, 'jhola-picking-up time' fast approaching: Congress

The Congress on Sunday (November 8, 2026) hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his "dimagi Naxals" (ideological supporters) jibe at political rivals, saying he is clearly distraught, disturbed and desperate, and his "jhola-picking-up time" is fast approaching.

The opposition party's dig came after Mr. Modi targeted political opponents, saying armed Maoists have been eliminated, but "dimagi Naxals" have infiltrated several political parties and organisations and are instigating people against the Constitution and democracy.

"We must identify and defeat such elements and secure the country," Modi said, while celebrating 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 communications Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister has not spared the nation even on Deepavali day his "trademark abuse". "He has once again spoken of what he calls 'dimagi naxals'.

He has used a very solemn non-political occasion, donned the uniform of the security forces, and hurled invectives at his political rivals," Mr. Ramesh said on X. This is a brazen assault on all institutional norms but when has that ever stopped this man, he asked.

It was on April 28, 2024 that he had said that those demanding a caste census were urban naxals, and later on April 30, 2025, he announced that a caste census will be carried out as part of Census 2027, Mr. Ramesh said. Earlier, in September 2020, he had called those agitating against the three black farm laws as supporters of a naxal ideology, and later, on November 19, 2021, he withdrew those very laws, the Congress leader pointed out.

"The PM is clearly distraught, disturbed and desperate. Jhola-picking-up time is fast approaching," Mr. Ramesh said. In his remarks in Chhattisgarh's Bastar, Mr. Modi said the government took decisions that "dealt very big blows to the funding of Naxals and secessionists".

The Maoist terror elimination was a victory of the country's right policies and strong political will, said Modi, dressed in a military-style camouflage uniform and a hat. "Amid the successes, we must remember one more thing.

Naxalites have been eliminated, but the threat is not over yet. Armed Naxalites have disappeared from the forests, but 'dimagi Naxals' (their ideological supporters) have taken control of several organisations," he said.

"Even today, they are instigating people against the country's Constitution and democracy. They have infiltrated several political parties and different organisations. We must identify and defeat them and secure the country," he added.

On his Independence Day address in August, Mr. Modi had also referred to 'dimagi Naxals', saying the country succeeded in removing armed Naxalism, but its ideological supporters were seeking opportunities to promote violence.