THIS IS INDIA
India’s Foreign Secretary was forced to lock his social media account after he and his daughter were subjected to a wave of online abuse. The hostility didn’t come from across the border, but from within, driven by self-proclaimed Hindutva nationalists.
Vikram Misri was targeted not for any personal failure but for executing the government’s directives as any senior civil servant is expected to do.
The backlash follows the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10, in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. While the ceasefire was a calculated move by the government, some hardline voices saw it as capitulation.
Misri, as the official spokesperson for the decision, became the focal point of their anger.
What’s especially disturbing is that the attacks extended beyond him. His family was doxed, with personal details shared publicly to intimidate and harass.
That a civil servant’s household became collateral damage in a policy debate speaks volumes about the toxic environment faced by public officials navigating today’s deeply polarized discourse in India
Mike