Overview
- BJP Goa shared an AI-generated video that named journalists, politicians and artists and showed guns and bloodied imagery to illustrate the new label 'Dimaagi Naxal'.
- The Editors Guild of India formally condemned the party's official handles for the portrayal and specifically singled out senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for targeted vilification.
- The phrase 'Dimaagi Naxal' was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was expanded on by BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, who portrayed 'intellectual Naxals' as sympathisers of violence.
- The Guild linked the episode to a shrinking space for independent media and cited India's drop to 157th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index as a warning sign about rising threats to journalists.
- Journalists and media bodies warn the episode shows how AI-made content can be used by official channels to intimidate critics and that observers should watch for any retractions, platform removals or legal responses.