Indian media faces backlash for 'sensationalising' war amid Pakistan standoff

Following the unprovoked missile and drone strikes on Pakistan, Indian mainstream media started spreading fake news and misinformation. This was done by mainstream TV channels and renowned anchors. Such behaviour seriously dented the credibility and integrity of the Indian media.

Outlandish claims, from the destruction of Karachi port to the levelling of Islamabad, have been peddled on live TV by some of the biggest news channels of the country. The clownery reached such a level that even Indian celebrities and Youtubers called them out for blatantly lying and misleading the public.

Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha showed irritation over their dramatised visuals and sound effects by calling the coverage from the channels a ‘joke’.

“Just do your job, report facts as they are. Stop sensationalising WAR and creating panic among people… for gods sake,” Sinha said on her Instagram story.

She further advised Indians to find a reliable news sources and stick to that, adding, “stop watching this garbage in the name of news”.

 

She was joined by another Indian television actress, Tejasswi Prakash, who slammed Indian mainstream media in a post on her X account where she shared a clip from the country’s news channel. In the video, the reporter was telling that no Pakistani aircraft entered Indian airspace, which was immediately interrupted by the anchor to spread fake news, pushing the usual narrative of the BJP-led government.

She said, “This is exactly why I don’t trust this Godi Media anymore. It’s not journalism — it’s scripted propaganda”.

“Blind nationalism is not patriotism. Question what you are being shown,” she asked Indian citizens.

Dhruv Rathee, a popular Indian content creator with around 29 million YouTube subscribers, shared a video of Major Gaurav Arya on his X account, saying, “block these frauds from your Twitter accounts.”

“Never watch these fake news channels again. Share with your family members also,” he added.

While Nitish Rajput, another popular Indian YouTuber with around 7 million subscribers, sarcastically called out Indian mainstream media, saying, “If the news media tells me it is raining, I will look for my sunglasses.”

The latest escalation in the decades-old Pakistan-India rivalry began on May 7 when at least 31 civilians were killed in an unprovoked Indian cross-border attack. In retaliation, Pakistan downed five IAF fighter jets, including three Rafales, and dozens of drones.

Meanwhile, India continues to send drones into Pakistani territory, with the military shooting down nearly 80, including Israeli-made IAI Heron — medium-altitude, long-endurance — unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).