Indian-origin Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia triggered a heated online debate after a social media post criticizing how dissent is labeled in India. “Say India is unsafe for women – you’re anti-national. Question inflated economic numbers – you’re anti-national. Call out elected leaders’ lies – you’re anti-national. Mention lost aircraft – you’re anti-national. So if truth = anti-national… then who’s a national? The one who lies to you?” Bhatia wrote on X (formally Twitter).

Bhatia’s post drew sharp criticism from RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka, who reposted it with a pointed response: “Living in California and lecturing a billion Indians back home? We live here. We vote, work, pay taxes. We love this country – and we’ll fix what’s broken. India doesn’t need sermons from those who packed up and left.”

Goenka’s reply sparked a flurry of reactions online. Supporters called it a “befitting reply,” with one user writing, “This is our country and no matter how it is we all will fix it for sure.” Another said, “Despite shortcomings we love our country & we strive to overcome them.”

But not all agreed. Some defended Bhatia, highlighting the double standards applied to Indian-origin achievers abroad. “We are so obsessed that we want to claim Tulsi Gabbard or Sunita Williams even. Why this selective outrage?” asked one user. Another noted, “Someone sitting wherever and having the guts to highlight the problems is much better than someone not having the guts to admit there is any problem.”