‘Pakistan, Bangladesh & US’: BJP accuses Congress of using foreign-based ‘X’ accounts; claims bid to ‘create anarchy’
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday accused the Congress of relying on social-media accounts operating from outside India to influence domestic political narratives, citing new location-tracking features on platform X. BJP MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that several handles linked to Congress leaders and supporters appeared to be based in countries such as the United States, Ireland, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh.Patra claimed that the location indicator on X shows Congress leader Pawan Khera’s account “is based in the United States”, while the Maharashtra Congress handle “is based in Ireland… although now they have changed it to India.” He added that the Himachal Congress account “is connected via Thailand Android app.”According to him, influencers such as Prateek Sinha (“Malaysia”), Alt News (“United States”) and Caravan India (“United States”) also appeared to have foreign-based accounts.He alleged that “several such accounts of Left and Congress influencers… are based in Pakistan, Bangladesh.” Patra further said, “Rahul Gandhi not only speaks against India abroad or tries to create anarchy in the country with the help of Gen Z, but he has also delegated this task, with planning and design, to people sitting abroad. There is a division of work in the Congress, their people sitting all over the world, who are not Indian voters, are setting narratives in India.”He went on to say that the reason behind it is what he described as three key narratives allegedly pushed through these handles, the first was “Vote Chori”, followed by attempts to suggest that “PM Modi and the security forces surrendered during Operation Sindoor,” which he claimed was amplified by “handles from Pakistan, West Asia, Bangladesh.” The third, he said, centered on “targeting the Sangh and PM Modi personally.”“… There are three major narratives set in India by these influencers on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, Congress and the Left ecosystem. First is ‘Vote Chori’. The second narrative is trying to show that PM Modi and the security forces surrendered during Operation Sindoor. Handles from Pakistan, West Asia, Bangladesh… were behind it… The third narrative is targeting the Sangh and PM Modi personally…” he said.The BJP leader also claimed these accounts were behind the campaigns like ‘vote chor gaddi chhod’, and trying to demean Indian constitutional authority on the global stage. “There are multiple examples of misleading tweets regarding ‘Vote Chori’… When Indian institutions are being given chairmanships, Congress and its ecosystem are planning such conspiracies… Everything is in the public domain… These are fake accounts made by the Left-Congress ecosystem to demean India, to come to power and make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister one way or another… These people don’t really exist. These are fake names and accounts. The narrative of ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ was being set in foreign countries… It is worrisome how far the Congress and its ecosystem can go…” he said.The Congress has not yet issued a formal response to Patra’s allegations.
