On Sunday, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, experienced a significant security breach when his official X (formerly Twitter) account was hacked. The intruders used the platform to display visuals featuring the national flags of Pakistan and Turkey, causing immediate alarm.
Responding swiftly to the incident, an official from the Deputy Chief Minister’s office confirmed that the cyber-crime team was notified without delay. ‘We alerted the cyber-crime unit immediately,’ the official stated. ‘The team managing the Deputy CM’s social media successfully regained control of the account within a brisk 30 to 45 minutes.’
The breach quickly escalated into a political issue, with former State Congress president Nana Patole expressing deep concern over Maharashtra’s cybersecurity. Describing the incident as ‘shocking,’ he publicly demanded accountability and answers from the Home Department. Patole questioned the state’s readiness: ‘Today, a shocking incident took place in which the X account of the State’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was hacked. If the social media accounts of such important Ministers in the State cannot be secured, then what about the cyber security of the common citizens? This question will definitely be asked by the Gen-Z generation of Maharashtra today.’
He further emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, ‘The hacking of the Deputy Chief Minister’s account raises a big question mark on the security of the State’s Home Department. Who will take responsibility for this? What concrete mechanism does the government have for the cyber protection of citizens? The Home Department should give a clear answer to this matter.’
Patole also drew attention to the government’s recently introduced ‘golden data’ scheme. He critically observed, ‘The government has recently announced the introduction of a ‘golden data’ scheme. But when the accounts of government officials themselves are not secure, the question of how strong the security of government websites and government data becomes more serious and pressing.’