In a distressing turn of events at the London School of Economics (LSE), an Indian student, Satyam Surana, found himself embroiled in a vicious smear campaign during the student union elections. Satyam, originally from Pune, became a focal point of controversy due to his vocal support for the development initiatives in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

The ordeal for Satyam began with the defacement and tearing of his campaign posters for the position of General Secretary. Describing the extent of the attack, he revealed that his posters were marked with crosses, and slogans like “anyone but Satyam” were scrawled across them, effectively nullifying his candidacy.

Satyam’s troubles escalated as the election fervor intensified, with a barrage of slanderous messages flooding LSE groups branding him as a ‘BJP supporter’ and worse. He recounted how innocuous social media posts were twisted to suit a nefarious agenda, leading to accusations of being a ‘fascist’ and other derogatory terms.

Despite his campaign focusing solely on campus improvements, Satyam found himself unfairly targeted due to his pro-India stance on issues like terrorism and the Ram Mandir. Even his past activism, including his brave act of picking up the national flag during an attack at the Indian High Commission, became ammunition for his detractors.

Satyam’s association with dignitaries like Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis was also exploited to propagate malicious propaganda, falsely linking him to the BJP. Throughout the ordeal, Satyam remained resolute, attributing the smear campaign to political motives, particularly from the left wing.

In one of his posts, Satyam lamented the ideological hijacking of educational institutions by the left and highlighted the struggles of other Indian students like Rashmi Samant and Karan Kataria against such agendas.

Reflecting on the broader implications of the incident, Satyam emphasized the importance of India’s progress under PM Modi’s leadership and condemned the dissemination of misinformation aimed at undermining it. Despite the setbacks, Satyam expressed gratitude for the support he received, indicating his unwavering resolve in the face of adversity.