BJP leaders label Chidambaram as a ‘shield for urban Naxals’

BJP officials on Sunday accused former finance minister P. Chidambaram of acting as a protective cover for urban Naxal elements after he publicly embraced the term “intellectual Naxal.” RP Singh, the party’s national spokesperson, said the Congress leader’s remarks were an attempt to legitise extremist ideology.

Syed Shah Nawaz Hussain added that the opposition’s stance was worsening, stating that while forest‑based Naxals could be eliminated, Chidambaram’s self‑identification as an “intellectual Naxal” was a direct challenge to national security.

The remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warning from the Red Fort that “intellectual Naxalism” remains a pressing challenge. BJP parliamentarians, including Rajya Sabha member Dinesh Sharma, questioned why the opposition seemed indifferent to the violence and mindset associated with Naxalism, urging them to focus on the real threat rather than glorify it.