New Delhi: Even before Swatantra Bhardwaj set foot in Delhi as a college student, the boy from Patna had a clear goal in mind: becoming the face of the Hindutva ecosystem. His Facebook and Instagram profiles feature photos with BJP leaders, alongside videos of Bhardwaj giving his two cents on gender, reservation and all things Hindutva.
On Thursday, he was detained in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, barely hours after the Delhi Police invoked sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him in a case where he stands accused of assaulting the father of a 14-year-old Dalit content creator during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in New Delhi on 23 July. A senior Delhi Police officer told ThePrint that a fresh new case was registered late Friday night against Bhardwaj under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Earlier this week, Bhardwaj admitted on a podcast that he “cracked open” the minor girl’s father’s skull, but no action was taken against him. His remarks triggered backlash, with the CJP and Indian Youth Congress (IYC) protesting Friday outside Delhi’s Parliament Street police station to demand that sections of the SC/ST Act be invoked against him.
Over the past few weeks, Bhardwaj has routinely appeared on TV panels, interviews, and podcasts. But a closer look at his social media presence shows Bhardwaj built this self-styled clout over several years.
His content relies heavily on Hindutva, AI-generated posters and is replete with photos of BJP leaders including Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary, Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, and Lok Sabha MP Manoj Tiwari, among others. One of the photos show him with Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan.
Paswan, a Dalit leader himself, condemned Bhardwaj’s actions Friday, saying that the allegations against him were extremely serious. “The way a person is openly admitting that he beat someone so severely that it could possibly have led to their death. To openly admit this on a podcast and even after that, if no action is taken against him, then I believe this will set a very wrong example before the country and the people,” he said.
Adding, “Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have also filed an official complaint against that person. At the same time, I have urged the Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter.”
Ever since Bhardwaj began posting content on Instagram regularly, views have shot up from 20,000 per reel on average to over 250,000. he routinely tracks his own viral reach. On Thursday, when his podcast gained traction, he shared a screenshot, showing his name trending at number 10 on X in India. “Love you all virodhi (enemies),” he wrote.
Across platforms, the ‘self-proclaimed’ Hindutva influencer has cultivated a following of roughly 187,000 on Instagram and more than 326,000 on Facebook. Behind this social media presence of a “kattar (staunch) Hindu” is a 21-year-old student from Patna.
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‘Don’t fill forms to join Delhi Police’
Bhardwaj completed his schooling from Don Bosco Academy, Patna, and enrolled in Delhi University in 2022. During the CJP protests, he posted videos of himself walking around carrying wooden sticks, openly boasting that he was the “real gunda (goon)”.
He also launched an Instagram handle called ‘Aarthik Aarakshan Morcha’ to campaign for economic reservation and the rollback of University Grants Commission (UGC) Equity Regulations, 2026, which the Supreme Court has put on hold.
The movement was backed by ‘Sanatani’ and Hindutva influencers, like Azad Vinod, Mohit, and Ankit Kumar who uploaded selfies to express support.
As his digital presence gained traction, so did his ability to mobilise. On 21 August, Bhardwaj was among those who mobilised more than 300 people at Jantar Mantar as part of the ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’.
His “recognisable” online presence was garnering support until his comments on a podcast triggered backlash. In it, Bhardwaj admitted to physically assaulting the father of the content creator.
“I cracked open her father’s head. You know which section is added in a case like this. Section 307 half murder is applied. He had seven stitches on his head. He was almost dying, and was going in the ambulance. His daughter stood outside the police station and said, if her father doesn’t get justice, she will consume poison and will die,” he can be heard saying.
In the viral podcast, Bhardwaj repeatedly flaunts his closeness to BJP leaders, as if to explain why no action was taken against him. “Swatantra was out the next day. I did not even go to jail. I was roaming around the entire night. The entire world should know this,” he says.
He adds, “Kapil Mishra is like my elder brother. These people (CJP) are saying a call came from Kapil Mishra and I was released. Kapil Mishra is my elder brother; Chirag Paswan is my elder brother, all of them. Tell me which leader you know? You know (PM Narendra) Modi ji? Modi ji is also my elder brother. I have everyone’s support.”
Asked where he got the sticks used against the CJP protesters, Bhardwaj points at his shoe. “This shoe belongs to Delhi Police. We don’t fill forms to join Delhi Police. We automatically join them.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma confirmed that a complaint was received against Bhardwaj on 23 July.
Gaurakshaks, Israel & Muslim women
When he is not posting photos with leaders, the Hindutva influencer uploads content of himself alongside gau rakshaks and shares AI-generated graphics, announcing support for Israel.
A glance at his social media posts also show AI-generated images of Muslim women wearing burqas and abayas, with controversial captions such as ‘Shakina ko Pakistan nahi jaane denge (won’t allow Shakina to go Pakistan)’ and ‘Pakistan ka jija (father-in-law of Pakistan)’.
The influencer from Bihar also wholeheartedly commits himself on social media for keeping a watch on those whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified as ‘Dimagi Naxal’.
“Hum statement wale nai hai, ilaaj karne wale hain. Dimagi Naxal ka ilaaj karna hai (We are not the ones who just make statements; we are the ones who provide a cure. We have to treat Dimagi Naxal),” he proclaims in one video.
‘Real Hindutva isn’t about chasing limelight’
Even within the Hindutva ecosystem, opinions about Swatantra Bhardwaj are divided.
A Right-wing activist, who was part of the anti-reservation protest alongside Bhardwaj, opposed the remarks he made during the podcast.
“Swatantra isn’t as famous as people are making him out to be. I’ve seen him participate in protests, and he usually speaks on UGC, reservation and other national issues,” the activist told ThePrint, requesting anonymity.
Adding, “Honest Right-wing workers aren’t ‘kattar (staunch)’ like him. That podcast video was insensitive. What happened shouldn’t have happened. You can’t celebrate assault, and brag about it. A crime is a crime.”
Another Right-wing influencer dismissed Bharadwaj and his actions. “Such people create such content to gain social media likes, comments and followers. Nothing else,” he told ThePrint. Adding, “Real Hindutva isn’t about chasing the limelight, it’s about honest work. It’s not done loudly, but quietly.”
But, an IYC member maintained that Bharadwaj thrives because of patronage from a section of political leaders. “Whatever social media influence he has, it’s endorsed by the Right-wing ecosystem and the ruling party. He’s openly dropping names of leaders he is close to. What does that mean?”
“When the Delhi Police has CCTV coverage across protest sites to identify perpetrators of serious crimes, how is this person who regularly uploads content where he threatens people, including women, roaming around, without facing strict legal action?” the IYC member asked.
If another Hindutva influencer is to be believed, there’s an altogether different sub-plot in the episode that landed Bhardwaj in trouble. Bhardwaj, he claimed, opposes the minor content creator and her father because “she makes offensive remarks against Hindu deities and sadhus”.
“Her father had attacked Bhardwaj first. He retaliated in self-defence,” the influencer claimed, adding that Bhardwaj was also injured. “The (CJP) protest was originally meant to support students facing genuine issues, but it got derailed by abuse and violence.”
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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