India’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has come forward to defend national news channels accused of spreading fake news during recent tensions with Pakistan. Amid growing public backlash, BJP released a video asking why people were so upset if “a few wrong reports” aired during wartime coverage.
In the video shared on social media, BJP said war is not just fought by armies and governments, but also by strong-minded citizens. The party criticized its own people, calling them mentally weak for falling for Pakistani “propaganda” and turning against their own media. The statement triggered fresh debate on public trust in journalism.
Several Bollywood celebrities, including Parineeti Chopra and Sonakshi Sinha, had recently slammed Indian media for fear-mongering and running unverified stories. The situation worsened when fake news about Pakistan’s military actions went viral, leading to memes and mockery across social platforms.
BJP, however, downplayed the issue. The party said, “If a channel aired a wrong news piece, so what? No one reported against India.” The message implied that patriotism should excuse factual errors, especially during national crises. But many critics argued that misleading news in wartime can cause mass panic and damage credibility.
This wave of misinformation came after Indian forces failed to make visible gains against Pakistan. With pressure mounting, the Modi government allegedly used the media to control public opinion. In response, Pakistani users flooded social media with memes mocking the Indian coverage, exposing the propaganda.