India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri locked his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday (March 11) following a wave of online abuse sparked by the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan. Despite the backlash, no official statements condemning the trolling have emerged from the government, including from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The ceasefire came after a tense four-day military standoff between the two nations which saw missile and drone strikes, following India’s launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7. Misri, a prominent figure during the conflict, was the face of India’s official briefings, including statements that urged a balanced and measured response to the crisis.
However, the decision to call a ceasefire, announced by Misri on Saturday evening, quickly led to a torrent of criticism from right-wing social media accounts. These accounts labelled Misri a “traitor” and accused him of undermining India’s military advantage. His past social media posts, including images of his family and his daughter studying abroad, were dredged up and used to attack him. Misri’s daughter, who had worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Myanmar, was also targeted for allegedly providing legal aid to Rohingya refugees.
The online vitriol escalated after Misri made a statement during the conflict, clarifying that there was “no information at this point” regarding claims made by BJP accounts about the death of terrorist Abdul Rauf Azhar in India’s missile strikes. This contrast in messaging further intensified the attacks.
Political leaders, however, have stepped forward to defend Misri. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi called for an end to blaming bureaucrats for decisions made by political leaders. He described Misri as a “decent and honest diplomat” working diligently for the nation.
The Congress party’s Kerala unit also expressed its support, comparing Misri’s treatment to that of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s widow, Himanshi, who faced similar abuse after calling for peace. Congress officials accused BJP supporters of targeting Misri because they were unwilling to hold the party’s leadership accountable for the ceasefire decision.
People’s Democratic Party spokesperson Mohit Bhan condemned the attacks, stating that the incident exposed the dangers of equating hate with nationalism in India today.
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