After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “dimagi naxals” reference in his 80th Independence Day address triggered a political storm, with sections of the Congress and Cockroach Janta Party leaders hitting back, the government on Jattvibeday morning stepped in to clarify.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the reference was not meant for those who professed faith in the  Constitution but rather for those who harboured separatist sentiments.“PM Narendra Modi didn’t call opposition leaders as ‘dimagi’ Naxals,” Rijiju said after former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said he was proud to be a “dimagi” Naxal.Rijiju listed three categories of people while explaining the PM’s reference. “Only following are ‘dimagi’ Naxals: Who support Maoists and reject Constitution. Who stand with separatists & support Article 370. Who want to cut ‘chicken’s neck’ to separate Northeast from India,” Rijiju said as the government intervened to clarify the phrase in the wake of the widespread debate it had triggered.The Prime Minister had on Saturday said while India had successfully eliminated armed Naxals, it must be cautious of “dimagi” Naxals, who provide intellectual fodder to left-wing extremism. The PM also called upon citizens to identify and isolate dimagi naxals — a phrase different from “urban” Naxals, which he has used in the past.Reacting to the PM’s remarks, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said, “’Dimagi’ Naxal or whatever is not going to work, Prime Minister. How could you loosely brand educated young people Naxalis etc? Just because they question your government? Sheer arrogance! Sheer incompetence at resolving their problems! Bells are ringing. The awakening is here!”The BJP and RSS have long spoken of Maoist sympathisers being the real oxygen for armed left-wing extremism across India’s heartlands.Senior RSS leaders have also in the past called for watchfulness with respect to “narratives and spinning of narratives” across academic and intellectual circles.The PM has previously described rival AAP as “urban” Naxals. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has even launched a publication detailing their alleged threats.The book, published by Vishwa Samvad Kendra (VSK), the RSS’ communication wing, and entitled ‘Kaun Hain Urban Naxals’, features 15 articles by a section of writers, filmmakers and journalists.Contributors reflect on what they describe as the “urban form of Naxalism, sleeper cells of Naxals, their intentions, alliances, influencer support base”, among chapters on the growth of Naxalism in JNU.One chapter in this publication is called “Urban Naxali Agnivesh”, and contributors include filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and academic Makarand Paranjape, among others.