Rijiju, the minister for minority affairs, accused Shah of holding views harmful to democracy after the actor posted a video questioning the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s treatment of students and its approach to dissent.
Responding on X on Wednesday, Rijiju wrote: “I thought Naseeruddin Shah was just an ordinary actor. I used to respect & like him.. I never knew that he was a dangerous urban Dimagi Naxal!”
The minister added in Hindi that he had discovered Shah’s true character too late and described the actor as extremely harmful to the country’s democracy.
His intervention followed a Facebook video released by Shah on Tuesday, expressing solidarity with students at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi who are demanding restoration of their students’ union.
Shah, 76, appeared wearing a badge bearing the words “Dimagi Naxal”, a political expression loosely referring to an intellectual associated with Naxalite ideology. He embraced the description while challenging labels applied to critics of the government.
“I proudly declare that I am Dimagi Naxal,” Shah said, referring to expressions including “anti-national” and “tukde-tukde gang” that have featured prominently in political arguments over dissent.
The actor questioned whether the government was attempting to undermine the confidence of young people, weaken educational institutions and endanger democratic freedoms.
“What else will you do to break the courage of our country’s youth, to destroy the education system, and to put our democracy at risk?” Shah asked.
His allegations were directed at the central government, although the video did not establish that the authorities had adopted a coordinated policy to suppress student movements.
Shah referred specifically to Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and Jamia Millia Islamia, alleging that students across these institutions had faced mistreatment.
He warned that what he described as injustices against students would not be forgotten and expressed support for young people challenging university administrations and government policies.
The exchange has drawn attention to the use of politically charged terminology in arguments about dissent. While Shah employed the expression to identify himself with government critics, Rijiju used it to question the actor’s political outlook.
The phrase “dimagi naxal” has also appeared in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political speeches. Government leaders have used comparable terminology when alleging that certain intellectuals and activists sympathise with extremist ideologies.
Such descriptions remain politically contested, particularly when applied to individuals expressing criticism without any established connection to unlawful organisations.
The immediate dispute centres on demonstrations at Jamia Millia Islamia, where students have demanded a timetable for restoring their representative union and conducting elections.
Student union elections at the university have remained suspended since 2006 following campus violence. Protesters are seeking a definite election schedule and a deadline for approving the union’s constitution.
The agitation has continued for more than two weeks, with confrontations between protesters and university authorities adding to tensions on campus.
Videos circulating from the demonstrations have shown damage to university property, including gates and security infrastructure. Allegations concerning responsibility for the damage remain separate from the students’ demands for elected representation.
University authorities have cited security concerns while responding to the unrest. Students maintain that restoring their union is necessary to provide a formal mechanism for raising grievances and participating in institutional decisions.
The university has also shifted certain academic activities online amid the disruption, including arrangements affecting examinations and classes.
Shah’s intervention followed his expressions of support for students at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata, where protests have involved allegations concerning campus violence.
Actor Puneet Issar has separately criticised Shah’s statements, arguing that political disagreements should be addressed through democratic electoral processes rather than allegations against an elected government.
The disagreement between the two actors adds another dimension to the controversy, with competing views emerging over the appropriate boundaries of political criticism by public figures.
Shah concluded his video by offering encouragement to protesting students and invoking lines associated with the freedom struggle, including a verse from Bismil Azimabadi’s poem “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna”.
The Jamia protesters have sought a firm commitment from the university administration on the proposed election timetable and the approval of the students’ union constitution.
