New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 5) while speaking at the centenary celebrations of Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) said that ‘dimagi Naxals’ (intellectual Naxals) had “started coming out one by one” since he delivered a “homeopathic pill” in his Independence Day speech.“As soon as I gave the ‘Dimagi Naxal’ homeopathy pill, all the ‘Dimagi Naxals’ started coming out one by one. And now the public is also seeing the true colours of those who are encouraging this illness,” Modi said at the event.The prime minister’s remarks have drawn ire from various political quarters for using the occasion to further his political propaganda.‘Could have talked about education, unemployment’Congress in-charge for student affairs Kanhaiya Kumar said that the students expected the prime minister to talk about them and the education system. Instead, he had used the platform for his political campaign.Referring to Modi’s 2013 speech at SRCC – where Modi said that he saw half a glass of water as full to the brim, half with water and half with air – Kumar said that he now understood that the other half was not air but PR, the Deccan Herald reported.The Cockroach Janta Party too slammed the prime minister for reviving his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark.“Wow. Going to one of India’s premier colleges and once again branding a young, questioning generation as “Dimagi Naxals” has got to be among the most shameful things a Prime Minister can do. And on Teacher’s Day,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote in a post on X.CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka said the prime minister could have used the occasion to speak of “education, jobs, current challenges impacting students, and what all India is doing to set itself apart for next 20 years”. “Instead, he resorted to “Dimagi Naxal” nonsense. That’s what happens when your degree is in “Entire Political History,” Ranka said.‘Policy paralysis, 7.8% GDP growth’The prime minister also mentioned the controversy surrounding the recently released estimates which put India’s GDP growth at 7.8% – a figure contested by economists as well as former finance ministry officials.“The 7.8% growth has enthused the country. This comes at a time when a war is on in West Asia. This shows India’s capability. But those known for pushing India into the fragile five cannot digest these figures,” Modi said.Comparing the state of the country in 2013 to now, Modi said, “Growth was down on the ground and inflation was sky high. The world talked about policy paralysis in India and counted it among the ‘fragile five’ economies, but now views it as the fastest-growing major economy,” the prime minister said.Kumar, questioning Modi’s claims, said that the prime minister only held a PR exercise while alleging that unemployment was at its peak in the country. The Congress leader also claimed that students were not allowed to attend the event and the audience had been selectively invited.