BJP flags ‘foreign-located’ X handles pushing ‘anti-India’ narrative; ‘diversion tactic’, says Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday (November 27, 2025) flagged several X accounts allegedly being operated from outside India, claiming that they are linked to leaders and supporters of the Congress and a “Left-leaning ecosystem”, and are being used to run campaigns to malign Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tarnish India’s image.

The Congress hit back, saying that the ruling party was raising the matter to divert attention from the hard questions facing the Narendra Modi government. The Opposition platform added that the X platform had acknowledged a technical glitch with regard to the location of users.

BJP MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the X handles were part of a campaign to “set a narrative”, being run since 2014, and also received support from “foreign powers”. He targeted the Congress, particularly Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his social media team, and “well-known faces of the Left ecosystem”.

‘Baseless narratives’

After X recently introduced a new transparency feature, the original location of the handles in question were revealed, Mr. Patra said. Several overseas-operated or anonymous accounts, apparently located in countries like the United States, Ireland, Malaysia, Thailand, Europe, Singapore, West Asia, Southeast Asia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, were pushing baseless narratives about “vote theft” and Operation Sindoor. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was targeted, he added.

The BJP leader alleged that, after the feature was enabled, the X account of senior Congress leader Pawan Khera had shown its location as the U.S. The handle of the Congress party’s Maharashtra unit initially showed its location as Ireland (now India), while the Himachal unit’s handle was “connected via Thailand android app”.

The Election Commission was being attacked on various issues, including the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, as part of the conspiracy, Mr. Patra said, adding that misinformation was also being spread to portray Mr. Modi and the Indian Army as weak.

‘Anti-India rhetoric’

Accusing Mr. Gandhi of engaging in “anti-India rhetoric” abroad, Mr. Patra said: “He is unfit to be a politician in India, he is fit to conspire against India from foreign soil. There is a need to be wary of him and the Congress.”

He also alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress leaders are using inflammatory language on the ongoing SIR, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that the EC is empowered statutorily and constitutionally to conduct a pan-India SIR. The court had noted that not a single voter in Bihar had turned up to challenge deletion, Mr. Patra said.

‘Diversion tactic’

Responding to the allegations, Congress social media head Supriya Shrinate said: “The BJP wouldn’t have exposed themselves if only they had read the statement and clarification issued by X.”

The Congress leader also pointed to several other X accounts, including that of the BJP’s Gujarat unit, whose location was shown as outside India.

“I would like to ask why is BJP Gujarat handle run from Ireland? Why is the StartUp India handle run from Ireland? Why is the DD News handle run from America? And most importantly, why is the Adani group’s handle located in Germany? Are these people also involved in anti-India activity?” Ms. Shrinate asked.

The Congress social media head said the government wants to discredit everyone who is asking questions about the death of 26 Booth Level Officers because of pressure created by the ongoing SIR in States, as well as the allegations of “vote chori”.