RANCHI: A political row has erupted in Jharkhand over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Dimagi Naxal” remarks, with the BJP targeting Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a social media post featuring an AI-generated image of him.
The JMM hit back, asking whether Modi considers the state’s elected Chief Minister a “Naxal” and whether the BJP labels all opposition CMs, or specifically tribal CMs, as Naxals.
Both the JMM and BJP have traded accusations over issues concerning the youth, with the BJP targeting the Hemant Soren government over paper leaks, recruitment exams and student protests.
The JMM, in turn, accused the BJP of insulting the Chief Minister and tribal leadership through its remarks.
Targeting Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the BJP shared a post on social media featuring an AI-generated image of the CM, stating, “How long will your Hitler-like authoritarianism continue by sacrificing the future of the youth, @HemantSorenJMM ji?” adding, “Only a ‘Dimagi Naxal’ could think of deceiving the youth like this.”
The post on social media platform X further said, “On one side, there's the long line of JPSC-JSSC scams and paper leaks, and on the other, when the youth take to the streets demanding their rights, they are beaten with batons, their movements are suppressed, and fake FIRs are slapped on them! This system, which toys with the future of the youth, will no longer be tolerated!” The youth of Jharkhand are asking questions—give them answers! it said.
In response, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) questioned Prime Minister Modi on whether, in his view, Jharkhand's elected Chief Minister is also a "Naxal."
"According to you, is the elected Chief Minister of Jharkhand a Naxal? Does your party consider every opposition Chief Minister a Naxal, or are only tribal Chief Ministers considered Naxals?” stated the JMM.
The BJP’s post comes amid the ongoing controversy over JPSC and JSSC examinations, which has triggered protests and hunger strikes by students alleging irregularities in the recruitment process.
Although the protests were called off after the state government announced the cancellation of 22 examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC, the Jharkhand High Court later stayed the government’s cancellation notifications.
The court’s stay prompted students to resume protests and burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accusing the government of misleading them into ending their agitation after assuring them that their demands would be addressed.
Clashes were reported between protesting students and JMM workers during effigy-burning programmes in Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Giridih, following which several FIRs were registered against the protesters.
Against this backdrop, the controversy surrounding the term ‘Dimagi Naxal’ has now extended to issues concerning youth employment, recruitment exams, agitations, and tribal leadership within Jharkhand's politics.
