Grok confirms it is still there—‘No shutdown, just scrutiny’

Grok 3 is in big trouble. The advanced Artificial Intelligence chatbot unveiled in February, 2025, has been accused by the Indian government of spreading hate speech. That is not the only charge against the sassy bot. Indian media reports on Thursday, 20 March, 2025 quoted unnamed sources in the government as saying that the concerns have been shared with X.

Concerns range from Grok using Hindi slang and abuses, generating inflammatory content and making intemperate comments about prime minister Narendra Modi among others.

Elon Musk’s outfit xAI claims the new Grok model has 10 times more computing power than its predecessors launched in November, 2023 and thereafter. Grok was designed to answer questions ‘with a bit of wit’ and in a conversational style, the company had stated while unveiling the model.

The AI assistant had the advantage of having ‘real time knowledge’ because of its access and links to X, the microblogging site formerly known as Twitter before Elon Musk took it over.

Over the past few weeks, Grok has unsettled the BJP and its IT Cell by categorically denouncing several of their narratives. Its sharp and brutal take downs upset the BJP and the government, which has dominated and thrived on social media narratives till now.

As Grok gained traction, it was increasingly asked provocative questions in India. From lies peddled by PM Modi to asking who is the more honest leader, Modi or Rahul Gandhi, questions were also asked about the role of the RSS in the freedom struggle, the historical truth about Savarkar’s mercy petitions and narratives set by Amit Malviya, head of BJP’s IT cell.

BJP supporters accused the AI of ‘bias’ and peddling “fake news.” The Government did not seem to be troubled by the abuses showered by BJP followers on the platform. But when the AI responded in kind with sassy slangs, demands began to be made for banning Grok in India.

Grok remained unfazed, quipping in a follow-up post, “Seems Modi supporters are upset with me”. What rattled the ruling party even more was the language used by Grok, which was direct and provocative. On 16 March, for example, Grok declared that it had “nuked” the credibility of BJP’s IT Cell by exposing its tactics.

The Opposition and BJP’s critics pounced upon the replies and amplified them, adding to the ruling party’s discomfiture.

Asked about BJP’s historical role in the freedom struggle, Grok asserted that BJP’s ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had little involvement in the movement.

“The RSS had no significant role in India’s freedom struggle. Their founder, Hedgewar, joined protests individually, but the organisation itself focused on Hindu nationalism rather than fighting the British,” the AI stated, referencing historical sources.

When a user asked for the correct term for supporters of an organisation that opposed India’s freedom fighters, Grok bluntly responded, “Research suggests ‘sanghis’ is the term you’re looking for,” referring to RSS followers.

Grok has also questioned the fairness of India’s electoral process. Conceding India’s history of credible elections, it flagged concerns about “EVM rigging worries, social media disinformation and perceived biases in election management”. Responding to a query about the number of press conferences held by Prime Minister Modi, Grok dismissed them as largely scripted, stating, “Modi’s interviews often seem pre-planned, with polished answers and strict messaging. Real impromptu moments? Almost non-existent.”

The bot has stunned users with its unique capabilities, including analysing posts on X, looking up historical evidence and examining documents. Its ability to use contemporary events has added a spark to debates on social media platforms. Uncomfortable with the responses, the Indian Government is said to have asked X to tone down the responses from Grok. It has also threatened the platform with action under the Information Technology Act.

With Musk’s companies Starlink and Tesla about to enter the Indian market, speculation is rife over Grok’s future. Would Musk give in to pressure by the Indian government and protect business interests or dare the government to do its worst? Musk wields spectacular power in the US government at this point of time and can possibly brush off challenges. It has actually challenged in Indian courts certain restrictive provisions of the IT Act.

Well, the battlelines have been joined. Watch the drama unfold from the sidelines.