The Bharatiya Janata Party made startling revelations on Thursday, claiming that foreign-based influencers aligned with the Congress party are systematically promoting anti-government narratives and personal attacks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The allegations came as BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra cited X's new location display feature to expose what he described as a coordinated foreign influence campaign targeting India's democratic processes.
Foreign Handles Behind Anti-India Narratives
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra pointed to X's recently introduced feature that shows user account locations, revealing that numerous handles associated with Congress state units, party functionary Pawan Khera, and several prominent government critics are actually operating from foreign countries. According to Patra, these influencers based in nations including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Singapore are creating and spreading narratives against the Indian government while pretending to be neutral observers.
"Influencers sitting in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ireland and Singapore and having nothing to do with India are setting narratives here," Patra stated during his press conference. He emphasized that many of these accounts using Indian names likely lack real identities, raising serious questions about their authenticity and motives.
Congress Responds to Allegations
The Congress party swiftly dismissed the BJP's claims as diversionary tactics. The opposition party countered that some accounts linked to the ruling party are also based abroad, attributing such instances to various technical reasons including the use of VPN services and temporary international travel.
In an official statement, the BJP later elaborated: "X's new 'Location Display' feature has uncovered a staggering revelation: dozens of Congress-Left ecosystem accounts spreading anti-India narratives are not even in India. This is a coordinated foreign influence campaign targeting India's democracy, security, and unity."
Political Fallout and Broader Implications
The controversy has sent shockwaves through political circles, particularly after X's decision to display user locations and identities earlier this week exposed several vocal "Indian" critics of Prime Minister Modi as actually operating from Pakistan. This development has intensified the debate about foreign interference in Indian politics and the authenticity of online political discourse.
Patra specifically targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his allegations, stating: "Rahul Gandhi does not only speak against India from abroad. He sets narratives against India by planning and design." The BJP spokesperson went further to declare that Rahul Gandhi is unfit to be a politician in India, escalating the political confrontation between the two major parties.
The exposure of these foreign-based accounts has raised significant concerns about the integrity of political discourse on social media platforms and the potential for external actors to influence domestic political narratives. As both parties exchange allegations, the controversy continues to dominate political discussions across the country.
