Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s official X account (formerly known as Twitter) was hacked on Sunday (September 21), sparking a brief online security scare. Hackers gained access to his profile and shared posts featuring the national flags of Pakistan and Turkey. The suspicious activity caused concern among followers and political circles.
Posts quickly removed
The unauthorised posts remained live for a short period before being deleted. Shinde’s office confirmed that the cyber intrusion was identified swiftly, and corrective measures were taken immediately to secure the account.
The hackers also live-streamed images with photographs of the two Islamic countries, on a day when India and Pakistan are set to play their second game in the Asia Cup. "We immediately alerted the cyber crime police. Our team that is in-charge of the Dy CM's X handle later retrieved the account," the official said. It took 30 to 45 minutes to set the account in order, the official added.
Congress questions cyber security
Nana Patole, Senior Maharashtra Congress leader, however, raised questions over cyber security and demanded that the state home department provide clear answers to safeguard people from such threats. The hackers live-streamed images with photographs of the two Islamic countries, on a day when India and Pakistan are set to play their second game in the Asia Cup. "We immediately alerted the cyber crime police. Our team that is in-charge of the Dy CM's X handle later retrieved the account," the official said.Former Maharashtra Congress president Patole said the incident was shocking and raised questions over the state's cybersecurity framework. He said the hacking episode sparked sharp reactions, particularly from the Gen-Z population, who have asked that if the social media accounts of senior ministers cannot remain secure, what guarantee do ordinary citizens have regarding their online safety?
It has also put the state's home department under the spotlight, with critics asking who would take responsibility and what concrete mechanisms are in place to ensure protection of citizens' digital data, the Congress MLA said in a post on X.
The government recently announced its 'Golden Data' scheme aimed at creating a centralised database. However, the breach of a minister's account has raised doubts over the robustness of security measures for government websites and sensitive official data, he said.
Patole demanded that the home department provide clear answers to safeguard citizens from cyber threats.
Account recovered by technical team
According to his office, the technical team acted without delay to regain access and restore the security of the Deputy CM’s account. The account has now been fully recovered and is functioning normally. Officials also clarified that no sensitive information was compromised during the incident.
Growing concerns over political cybersecurity
The hacking of a high-profile political leader’s social media handle underscores ongoing concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities faced by public figures in India. With political leaders increasingly using platforms like X to directly communicate with citizens, such incidents highlight the importance of stronger digital safeguards.
The Maharashtra cyber cell is expected to look into the incident to identify the people behind the breach.