SOURCE: AFI
A series of provocative posts and videos from the X handle @SophiaNaga, claiming to represent a Naga nationalist, have stirred controversy by alleging Indian security forces’ brutality in response to burning the Indian flag in Nagaland. The account’s narrative, amplified by coordinated posts from other handles, paints a grim picture of oppression, with Sophia Naga claiming, “They came at night, broke my home, kidnapped my husband… tortured my mother,” for her act of defiance.
However, a detailed investigation by D-Intent Data, a digital intelligence firm, labels the campaign as propaganda likely backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), pointing to inconsistencies like a Filipino accent, a suspicious tattoo, and orchestrated social media activity. This article examines the claims, their debunking, and the broader implications for India’s Northeast.
On April 2, 2025, @SophiaNaga posted a video that garnered 1.2M views, claiming to be a Naga woman who burned the Indian flag to protest 77 years of alleged oppression in Nagaland. The user stated, “I burnt it on my land & in my country Nagaland,” accusing Indian forces of retaliating by raiding her home, abducting her husband, and torturing her mother. A follow-up video on April 19, 2025, showed Sophia Naga with visible bruises, declaring, “I won’t be silent. I’ll burn this flag again. Long live Nagaland. Shame on you, India.” The video, hashtagged with #IAmSophiaNaga, #FreeNagaland, and #BurnTheLies, called for Nagaland’s independence and referenced historical claims of Naga sovereignty since August 14, 1947.
The campaign was amplified by other X accounts, including @StewNaga, @Hardliner_
, and @SoffiaNaga , which posted similar content. @StewNaga claimed Sophia Naga joined a “referendum campaign for freedom from India,” while @Hardliner_ linked the act to broader anti-India sentiment, citing terrorism in Balochistan. The coordinated effort, which gained 18.1K views by April 3, 2025, included hashtags like #NagaStruggle and #RepealAFSPA, tapping into real grievances over the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and Naga political aspirations.
D-Intent Data’s Investigation: Evidence of Propaganda
D-Intent Data’s analysis, published under identifier 3122 on April 3, 2025, labels the @SophiaNaga
campaign as “propaganda,” alleging orchestration by the ISI to exploit Naga separatist sentiments. Several inconsistencies support this conclusion:
Linguistic Anomalies: Observers on X noted a Filipino accent in Sophia Naga’s speech, particularly the use of a retroflex ‘?’ sound for ‘t’ (e.g., in “silent”), a feature of Austronesian languages like Tagalog. Naga languages, part of the Tibeto-Burman family, lack this phonetic trait, as seen in tribes like the Ao, Angami, and Sumi. This discrepancy suggests the speaker may not be Naga, with X users mocking the accent as evidence of poor casting—“They need to hire better actors next time smh .”
Suspicious Tattoo: A visible tattoo on Sophia Naga’s forearm reading “Queen Ghazal” further undermines her claimed identity. Traditional Naga tattoos, documented by the Indian Culture Portal, feature tribal motifs like geometric patterns or animal symbols, not Persian-Urdu terms like “ghazal,” a poetic form irrelevant to Naga culture.
Coordinated Amplification: D-Intent Data identified a network of X accounts (@StewNaga
, @Hardliner_ , @SoffiaNaga ) posting synchronized content, a hallmark of orchestrated disinformation. The accounts’ low follower counts and sudden activity spike, alongside the use of hashtags like #IndianArmyCrimes and #SeditionOrFreedom, suggest a deliberate attempt to amplify the narrative and provoke anti-India sentiment.
Lack of Verifiable Evidence: No independent reports, local testimonies, or official statements from Nagaland corroborate the alleged raid, kidnapping, or torture. The Nagaland Police’s Cyber Crime unit, contacted by media, reported no complaints matching the incident, and the Assam Rifles, often stationed in the region, have not responded. The video’s backdrop, featuring a Naga flag and waterfall, appears staged, with no identifiable landmarks tying it to Nagaland.
Historical Precedent: D-Intent Data references a 2017 video of a girl burning the Indian flag while seeking Pakistan’s support for Naga independence, a known ISI tactic. The 1999 Comptroller and Auditor General report on the Nagaland State Lottery scam also noted external funding of insurgent groups, with suspicions of ISI involvement.
The @SophiaNaga narrative exploits real Naga grievances, particularly around the demand for sovereignty. The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), a key insurgent group, has pursued a “Greater Nagalim” since the 1980s, encompassing Naga-inhabited areas across Northeast India and Myanmar. The Naga flag, hoisted annually on August 14 as “Naga Independence Day,” symbolizes this aspiration, with historical claims citing Mahatma Gandhi’s alleged 1947 support for Naga self-determination. The NSCN-IM’s 1997 ceasefire and ongoing peace talks with the Indian government remain stalled over demands for a separate flag and constitution.
The Indian government has not officially commented, but the Nagaland Police are investigating, though challenges in accessing X data persist. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), recently extended in parts of Nagaland, remains a flashpoint, with the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) condemning it as oppressive. Such measures fuel local grievances, which external actors like the ISI exploit through disinformation.
The ISI’s alleged involvement aligns with its history of exploiting ethnic tensions in India’s Northeast. Posts on X and security reports highlight past ISI efforts to fund Naga insurgents and amplify separatist narratives through disinformation. The @SophiaNaga campaign, with its staged elements and coordinated amplification, fits this pattern, aiming to undermine the Naga peace process and destabilize India’s Northeast. The timing, amid ongoing talks and India’s heightened security posture following China’s hydrogen bomb test, suggests a strategic intent to exploit regional vulnerabilities.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.