On PM Modi's ‘Urban Naxals’ remarks on Congress, TMC MP seeks details from MHA

Saket Gokhale of the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using terms like “Urban Naxals” and “tukde tukde gang” in speeches while attacking the Congress and sought details, in a letter, from the ministry of home affairs about such organisations.

Addressing a massive gathering of Bharatiya Janata Party workers, 'Karyakarta Mahakumb', in Bhopal on Monday, Modi tore into the Congress, equating it with "rusted iron" and alleging its functioning has been outsourced to "Urban Naxals" and that the organisation is not run by leaders.

“The Congress has become a company and is outsourcing every policy and plan. Now, they are with urban naxal and giving a contract to them.”

Reacting to Modi's comments, Gokhale on social media X alleged that the PM has used the terms on several occasions for political parties, journalists and NGOs among others.

In a letter to the special secretary of internal affairs at the home ministry, the TMC leader sought “details of the group called ‘urban naxals’ and on how the government of India has identified this group and the official SOP adopted for handling ‘Urban Naxals’.”

Taking a dig at Modi's use of the phrase “tukde tukde gange”, Gokhale claimed that that a few years ago, the home ministry told him on record that “nothing of that sort exists”.

Gokhale added that the statements by the prime minister carried immense importance and should be factual. “Therefore, the country needs to know how the Govt of India & PM Modi have formally identified ‘urban naxals’ & the official Govt of India records & SOP on the remarks made by PM Modi yesterday,” he said.

The letter states that Modi made a “startling allegation” and termed it “a matter of grave concern of internal security” that the PM indicated the existence of such a group.

Asking the MEA if it has identified a category called Urban Naxals, Gokhale sought details of “this category of persons including their activities and the basis on which they're identified”.

He also asked how many prosecutions were conducted by the MHA or other central investigation agencies into this group or its members. Gokhale added, “Please state the standard SOP laid down by the Ministry of Home Affairs along with any communication extended to all state governments regarding the topic of ‘urban naxals’.”

Gokhale sought the information claiming it to be “prospective parliamentary work” and urged the ministry to treat it as urgent and a priority “considering the serious nature of the allegations by the PM”.

PM Modi's attack on Congress in Bhopal speech

Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress blaming it for keeping the people of India poor for years. He warned the youth, poor, women and first-time voters against voting for the Congress in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Modi also said the Congress neither wanted to change itself nor did it want to allow the country to change, and alleged that the party wanted to take the country back to the 20th century. “Congress remained busy in glorifying only one family. Congress turned democracy into a family system. Congress continued to nurture the corrupt system in India. Congress created such a system that the poor always had to lend a helping hand. Congress deliberately kept the country poor,” Modi said.

“Congress neither has the ability to see nor to understand the interest of the country, that is why you will see that Congress criticises every project related to developed India,” he added.

Attacking the Congress rule in neighbouring states, the PM said, “We are seeing around us that when they got a chance in Rajasthan, how Congress brought only destruction there. We have seen in Maharashtra how Congress, after joining the alliance, made loot their number-one task…After Independence, Congress ruled Madhya Pradesh for a long time. But, it turned resource-rich Madhya Pradesh into a BIMARU Madhya Pradesh.”