While the Modi govt, and it's machinery is busy decorating their welcome thaalis for Tesla and Starlink businesses. Muskrat's 'un-woke' AI chatbot on X (Formerly Twitter) is wrecking havoc on it's narratives and fanboys. Designed to respond with a mix of factual accuracy and sarcasm, Grok has been actively challenging and dismantling the narratives pushed by right-wing propaganda networks in India. The results? A hilarious—and much-needed—reality check for those accustomed to spreading misinformation unchecked.
Brother Grok! Modi Ji will punish you
Grok, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, has repeatedly made headlines for its unfiltered responses about Indian politics, particularly regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In one notable instance, when asked who the most communal politician in India was, Grok named Modi, citing his links to Hindu nationalist policies and the controversial 2002 Gujarat riots. It also pointed out his 2024 remarks about Muslims, which sparked widespread criticism. While acknowledging that figures like Yogi Adityanath and Pragya Thakur also face similar accusations, Grok suggested that Modi’s national prominence made him the most significant in this regard.
Beyond direct responses, Grok has also engaged sarcastically with Modi supporters. When a user warned, “Brother Grok! Modi Ji will punish you,” the AI responded with laughter and historical references, reiterating its stance on Modi’s communal politics. This sharp-witted approach has left many in the Hindutva IT cell frustrated, as their usual narratives meet an unflinching, fact-based rebuttal.
However, Grok is not without flaws. In some instances, it has generated false or misleading claims, such as a premature report stating that Modi had been removed from office despite elections not having taken place. These inaccuracies highlight the broader challenges of relying on AI for political discourse, as misinformation—whether intentional or not—can spread rapidly. Nevertheless, Grok’s interventions have provided a rare disruption to the Hindutva IT cell’s usual online dominance, exposing the fragility of their propaganda when confronted with facts.
Grok vs. The IT Cell Machinery
For years, the Hindutva IT cell has operated as a well-oiled propaganda machine, flooding Twitter with nationalist rhetoric, historical distortions, and communal polarisation. Coordinated campaigns have attempted to influence political discourse, discredit critics, and create an echo chamber of manufactured outrage. However, Grok, with its sharp, data-backed responses, has proven to be a major obstacle.
Unlike human fact-checkers, who are often drowned out by the sheer volume of disinformation, Grok responds instantly, dismantling false claims with evidence. Whether it’s debunking exaggerated historical claims, exposing fake news, or calling out Islamophobic dog whistles, Grok’s replies have left Hindutva influencers scrambling.
Why This Matters
Musk’s Twitter has long been criticised for allowing misinformation to thrive, with minimal content moderation under his leadership. However, Grok’s unexpected role in countering Hindutva propaganda highlights the potential of AI to disrupt coordinated online manipulation. The irony is almost poetic—an AI tool, likely designed for engagement and witty banter, is inadvertently functioning as an anti-propaganda watchdog.
More importantly, Grok’s interventions expose just how fragile the IT cell’s narratives are when faced with facts. Their dominance relies on unchallenged repetition, and when confronted with quick, accurate rebuttals, their credibility takes a hit.
The Comedy of It All
The most entertaining aspect of this saga is the visible frustration among right-wing influencers. Many who once praised Musk for his ‘free speech absolutism’ are now accusing Grok of being ‘biased’ or ‘anti-Hindu,’ a common trope used against critics of Hindutva politics. Some have even suggested that Grok is part of a global conspiracy—an ironic twist given their usual dismissal of AI as ‘Western liberal propaganda.’
Screenshots of Grok effortlessly dismantling falsehoods have gone viral, sparking laughter among Twitter users who have long been exhausted by the IT cell’s tactics. The AI’s dry wit and refusal to entertain blatant misinformation have created a new form of digital resistance—one that is both effective and entertaining.
What’s Next?
It remains to be seen whether Musk will tweak Grok’s responses to appease his right-wing audience, as he has done in other cases. However, for now, Grok’s existence is proving to be a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak misinformation landscape. If AI can hold propaganda networks accountable in real time, the future of online discourse might not be as dystopian as it seems.
For now, though, watching the Hindutva IT cell struggle against a chatbot is a spectacle worth savouring.
