Indian Foreign Secretary locks X account after right-wing backlash over ceasefire with Pakistan

Misri and his family targeted online, accused of betraying India’s interests

NEW DELHI (MNTV) – Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has made his X account private after being subjected to a torrent of abuse from Hindu right-wing users.

The backlash followed the announcement of a ceasefire with Pakistan, ending a tense four-day military standoff.

According to The Wire, right-wing accounts accused Misri of “betraying India” and labeled him a “traitor” for his role in the ceasefire decision.

Trolls unearthed old posts of Misri with his wife and daughter, attacking his family for their personal and professional choices.

Misri’s daughter, who had worked with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Myanmar, was criticized for providing legal aid to Rohingya Muslims and studying abroad.

One user wrote that Misri had “offered India’s head to Pakistan,” while others accused him of “throwing away India’s military advantage” gained during the recent Operation Sindoor.

The ceasefire came after four days of military strikes initiated by India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Misri, as the face of the Ministry of External Affairs during the crisis, delivered measured government statements.

Despite his diplomatic approach, Misri’s role in announcing the ceasefire on Saturday evening drew ire from Hindu right-wing accounts, many of which accused him of undermining India’s position.

Prominent voices have condemned the attacks on Misri.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi defended Misri, stating that bureaucrats work under the executive and should not be blamed for decisions made by political leaders.

“Mr. Vikram Misri is a decent and honest diplomat working tirelessly for our nation. Civil servants work under the executive and should not be scapegoated for decisions taken by the political leadership,” Owaisi said.

The Congress’s Kerala unit criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for enabling such targeted abuse.

“Modi bhakts can’t bring themselves to hold their ‘God’ accountable, so they lash out at everyone else instead,” the party said in a statement, likening the targeting of Misri to previous attacks on citizens advocating peace.

People’s Democratic Party spokesperson Mohit Bhan said the abuse highlights a dangerous trend of conflating hate with nationalism.

“For a decade, patriots, soldiers, scholars, and diplomats have been attacked for rejecting bloodlust. The right-wing hate engine is India’s real threat, and this rot must end before it consumes us all,” Bhan remarked.

The Union government has yet to issue any statement condemning the online harassment faced by Misri and his family.

Neither External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar nor other senior officials have spoken in Misri’s defense, raising questions about the government’s stance on protecting its civil servants from such abuse.

As debates over the ceasefire and its implications continue, the targeting of Misri and his family underscores the increasingly hostile environment for those involved in India’s diplomacy.