Celebrating Independence Day: Contentious Claims Emerge on Social Media
On August 15, 2026, India marked its 80th Independence Day with celebrations across the country. However, social media was rife with misleading posts regarding the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their flag ceremonies. Some posts inaccurately claimed that BJP leaders had displayed upside-down flags during the festivities.
According to a recent investigation by AFP, one viral image showing an inverted Indian flag was found to be digitally altered. Additionally, a video that seemed to show BJP members raising their flag was originally filmed at a separate event in March 2026.
A post made on X (formerly Twitter) featured a photo of BJP National President Nitin Nabin purportedly hoisting an upside-down Indian flag, leading to accusations of the party’s leaders being unaware of their own national colors. Opposition Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also pointed to a video that had gained over 990,000 views before being removed, claiming it depicted BJP members raising a party flag and not the national tricolour.
In India, disrespect towards the national flag, including burning or defacing it, is treated as a serious offense under the law, which may include penalties such as imprisonment or fines.
These claims about flag mishaps appeared alongside posts from the Indian diaspora celebrating Independence Day. They were part of broader events that included flag ceremonies, singing of the national anthem, and cultural performances, as reported by local channels.
Many social media users criticized the BJP leaders for the alleged flag incidents, believing the posts to be true. However, further investigation revealed the source of the compelling images. A reverse image search traced a similar image back to the BJP’s verified account on August 13, 2026, where Nitin Nabin was seen raising the national flag during the “Har Ghar Tiranga” initiative, aimed at promoting patriotism and encouraging citizens to fly the Indian flag.
Moreover, the BJP has since labeled the misleading photographs as “fake” and has sought police intervention to identify and penalize those responsible for spreading the misinformation. Investigations revealed that another video shared online, purported to be from Independence Day, was actually recorded during a party training event back in March.
In contrast, Ajay Chandrakar, a BJP leader from Kurud, defended the party’s actions in a recent social media post, asserting that opposition claims were made to tarnish the BJP’s reputation.
Despite the turmoil surrounding these claims, the Congress party has yet to comment on the topic. AFP has a history of debunking false claims related to political figures in India, emphasizing the importance of accurate information during national celebrations.
