India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his daughter were subjected to online abuse and trolling as a section of the Internet users became upset over the “ceasefire understanding” reached between India and Pakistan, which the United States claims to have brokered. Misri, who has been actively representing India’s diplomatic stance through pressers, announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to cease military operations.
Following this, he was forced to make his social media account private after users dug up his old posts, circulated his private photos and even shared personal contact information linked to his family members. The abuse went beyond policy criticism. Misri’s daughter also became the target of inappropriate and misogynistic comments.
The vicious trolling was condemned by political leaders, associations of IAS and IPS officers, as they issued strong statements defending Misri and denouncing the personal attacks as “unwarranted” and “utterly shameful”.
Social media trolling
Misri has over 35,800 followers on X (formerly known as Twitter). As per the now-viral screen recording of his social media, nameless, faceless trolls flocked into the comments section of one of his posts from the year 2015 and wrote strong words targeting him and his family (we have refrained from publishing comments with strong words). In the post, he wrote, “Selfie with daughter with Didon, my greatest achievement in life so far.” He also shared a picture of himself with his daughter and tagged PM Modi in his post.
One comment, under this post, reads, “Grow some spine… You literally urged Pakistan for a ceasefire.” Another said, “India needs strong bureaucrats.”
“This ceasefire is all wrong. There was a multigenerational opportunity to end the status quo, and you guys blew it,” commented a third.
‘Unwarranted personal attacks’
“Vikram Misri is amongst India’s most celebrated Diplomats, has always epitomised the best values of service above self and Nation First approach, I express my solidarity with him,” wrote V Srinivas, Secretary to Government of India, Dept of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Dept of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare, posted on X.
Former Foreign Secretary of India, Nirupma Menon Rao, too, condemned the attack on Misri just for announcing a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“It’s utterly shameful to troll Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his family over the India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement,” she wrote on X.
She added, “A dedicated diplomat, Misri has served India with professionalism and resolve, and there is no ground whatsoever for his vilification. Doxxing his daughter and abusing his loved ones crosses every line of decency. This toxic hate must stop – stand united behind our diplomats, not tear them down.”
“Unwarranted personal attacks on civil servants performing their duties with integrity are deeply regrettable. We reaffirm our commitment to uphold the dignity of public service,” the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Association posted on X.
The Indian Police Service (IPS) Association also condemned the personal attacks on Misri: “We unequivocally condemn the deplorable personal attacks against Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri and his family. Such unwarranted assaults on civil servants committed to their duties are absolutely intolerable.”