Hotmail’s Sabeer Bhatia in intense online spat over X post on India-Pakistan hostilities: 'Price a country pays for…’
Hotmail’s India-born founder Sabeer Bhatia is facing backlash over a pro-Pakistan news story he has shared on social media.
Hotmail’s India-born founder Sabeer Bhatia is facing backlash over a pro-Pakistan news story he has shared on social media. The piece – titled “How Chinese Missiles Routed India’s Air Force Over Pakistan” – was published on May 8 in the American bimonthly magazine The National Interest.
In the controversial piece, author Brandon J Weichert claimed an “unambiguous victory for Pakistan” in the India-Pak conflict. Weichert repeated the Pakistan government’s claim of shooting down five Indian Air Force jets – including three Rafales – using Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles.
“Their [Pakistan’s] successful engagement downing five IAF warplanes is a tremendous blow to the IAF, as well as to India’s military,” read the piece.
Sabeer Bhatia reacts
Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia shared the piece on X with a caption suggesting critique of Indian leadership.
“This is the price a country pays for the sins of its leaders,” Bhatia wrote, indicating criticism of the Indian government for underestimating the China-Pakistan defence cooperation.
Chandigarh-born and San Francisco-based Bhatia has since engaged in multiple online spats defending his stance. His comments section has been flooded with Indians slamming him for his take on India-Pakistan hostilities.
“Have you gotten yourself checked? Sometimes dehydration causes this, and sometimes it could be a serious condition. Mental illness is no joke. The sooner you get yourself checked, the better. Rest well. May you recover soon,” commented X user Jaivardhan Vermaa, to which Bhatia replied: “No joke.. I’m fine..Well hydrated too…”
X user Karan pointed out that the article is dated and requested the Indian-American entrepreneur to give further context. “This article is from 8th May. A lot has happened since. Give the complete picture Sabeer. Don't edit stuff like a troll,” he wrote.
Bhatia replied to him with a short “Thank you for your advice.”
Some wondered if he even held an Indian passport, with one person writing: “Which passport do you have Sabeer ? Nonsensical tweets repeatedly from your handle at this time when the nation is at war.”
“World Passport,” Bhatia replied.
Others accused him of having become an “American.”
Sabeer Bhatia was born in Chandigarh and grew up in Pune and Bangalore. According to a Times of India report, his father was in the Indian Army. He went to the US at the age of 19 on a Cal Tech scholarship.
