Kollywood’s virtue-signaller AR Rahman, who remained completely silent on the horrific Pahalgam terror attack where innocent Hindu tourists were brutally killed has now found himself facing sharp backlash from netizens. Despite not having the courage to condemn the terrorist attack or acknowledge the victims, Rahman took to social media to preach vague messages of peace and love aimed at the Indian government after its decisive counter-terror strike.
On 7 May 2025, following the Indian Armed Forces’ precise retaliation against the Pakistani terrorists responsible for the attack, Rahman posted a cryptic message on X using just two emojis, “🕊️❤️🇮🇳.” While likely intended to signal peace, the post was seen as tone-deaf and morally inconsistent especially given his complete silence on the massacre itself.
The backlash was swift and widespread, with users calling out his hypocrisy, ultimately forcing him to delete the post. Some of the netizens criticism given below
No.of. tweets on condemning Pak sponsored terror attack on Indian civilians = 0
More than the Dravidianist propaganda echoing Pakistan’s narrative , it appears Congress functionaries in Tamil Nadu were more unsettled by the Indian government’s strong retaliation against the brutal terrorist attack that killed 26 innocent Hindu pilgrims in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. One such figure is Dhivya Marunthiah, who identifies herself as the OBC State Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. Since the news of India’s precision strike gained national attention, she has been vocal online—amplifying counter-narratives and attempting to portray the government’s action as religiously motivated rather than a legitimate act of national defense by a sovereign state in response to terrorism.
Immediately after news of the successful operation broke, Dhivya shifted focus instead of celebrating the retaliation like common citizens, she chose to lecturing the Indian government on peace and morality. In one of her posts, she wrote, “Cowards in suits send others to die so you can feel powerful. It’s not patriotism, it’s pathetic. War kills the poor, the innocent, the voiceless. It’s not your child orphaned, your home destroyed, your life shattered. War isn’t a game, it’s death, trauma and loss. SHAME on every war-monger. #SayNOToWar.”
Cowards in suits send others to die so you can feel powerful. It’s not patriotism, it’s pathetic. War kills the poor, the innocent, the voiceless. It’s not your child orphaned, your home destroyed, your life shattered. War isn't a game, it’s death, trauma and loss.⁰ SHAME on… pic.twitter.com/rpf44vKBtD
Yet what stood out most starkly was her complete silence on the Pahalgam massacre itself. Not a single word condemning the terrorists who targeted unarmed Hindu tourists. The hypocrisy is glaring—quick to shame the nation for defending itself, but unwilling to speak against the barbarity that necessitated the response in the first place.
In another post, she responded mockingly to Israel’s official expression of solidarity with India by commenting, “Color me shocked.”
Her criticism didn’t stop there. She accused the Indian government of religious bias in its military action, despite the targeted nature of the operation against known terrorist camps. She wrote, “#OperationSindoor ? Terrorist attacks carried out by religious extremists are a grave threat to all humanity. But if a government, sworn to uphold a secular constitution and protect 1.46 billion people of diverse faiths, chooses to retaliate in the name of religion, it risks tearing apart the very fabric of our democracy. Retaliatory violence in the name of religion will not bring peace, it will only escalate fear, deepen divides, and perpetuate a cycle of conflict. What we are witnessing is not just a response to terrorism. It is a calculated political move by the BJP to manipulate grief, anger and religious identity for electoral gain. Playing politics with human lives is not only unethical, it is Un-Indian. We, the people of India, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and others stand united in our belief. We don’t want war. We demand conflict resolution. We seek justice rooted in truth, not vengeance. We want peace, not polarization. Let us not allow the politics of fear and hate to define our future. #EndWar#NotInOurName”
#OperationSindoor ? Terrorist attacks carried out by religious extremists are a grave threat to all humanity. But if a government, sworn to uphold a secular constitution and protect 1.46 billion people of diverse faiths, chooses to retaliate in the name of religion, it risks… pic.twitter.com/ugc9Fa39An
When none of her narratives gained traction, Dhivya Marunthiah finally resorted to attacking the very name of the operation—Operation Sindoor. She labeled it “patriarchal,” revealing just how far she was willing to stretch her criticism. It’s astonishing—and deeply telling—that someone holding a state-level position in a national party cannot even bring themselves to support a government action aimed at neutralizing terrorists.
She wrote, “Sindoor itself is patriarchal. In a society that is slowly shedding this kind of superstitions, it is regressive even dangerous to use state operations to reinforce them. Serves only narrow political goals.”
Sindoor itself is patriarchal. In a society that is slowly shedding this kind of superstitions, it is regressive even dangerous to use state operations to reinforce them. Serves only narrow political goals. https://t.co/xW0NvH5qDr
Her bangle breaking and crying didn’t end with her criticism directed against the government; she also attacked media outlets for reporting on the military’s success. When Thanthi TV published a video with the headline, “70 heads rolled on Pakistani soil – The precision operation that shocked the world,” she responded angrily, “WTF! What kind of reporting is this?”
What was most troubling was how Dhivya Marunthiah’s repeated anti-India statements seemed less about principles and more about signaling loyalty to her party by opposing the ruling government at any cost. Her comments reflect not just political rivalry, but a disturbing willingness to undermine national unity in moments of crisis, simply to appear aligned against the BJP.
This became even clearer when DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai posted a unifying message, who praised the secular and inclusive spirit of India by highlighting Muslim and Hindu officers in the Armed Forces, Dhivya remarked, “Rather than standing with Modi, it’s better we keep silence.”
Rather than standing with Modi, it’s better we keep silence.
At a time when the nation is unified in mourning and determined to respond to terrorism with resolve, Dhivya Marunthiah’s comments not only appear out of touch but dangerously divisive. Her refusal to condemn terrorism, while choosing to vilify India’s sovereign right to defend itself, raises serious questions about her priorities and the values she represents.
If even state-level Congress leaders cannot support national efforts against terrorism, especially in moments of crisis, it points to a deeper ideological crisis within the party’s Tamil Nadu unit.
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While Indian citizens across the country are celebrating the decisive retaliation by the Indian Armed Forces against terrorists on foreign soil and praying for the safe return of our brave soldiers, a contrasting narrative is being pushed by certain Dravidianists and Dravidianist media outlets in Tamil Nadu. Instead of acknowledging the valor of the armed forces or supporting the government’s firm ‘zero tolerance toward terrorism’ policy, these groups seem more focused on amplifying narratives that echo Pakistan’s claims.
These Dravidianist voices confidently assert that Pakistan has shot down two Indian aircraft, citing biased international media sources. Even some Tamil news channels echoed these claims without scrutiny, despite the fact that the headlines of Intranational media themselves only said, “Pakistan claims to have shot down Indian aircraft.” It’s telling that these individuals, who refuse to take pride in the actions of the Indian military, are now being strongly criticized and called out on social media for parroting a foreign adversary’s propaganda.
For instance, Reuters ran the headline: “India strikes Pakistan over tourist killings, Pakistan says Indian jets downed,” acknowledging the Indian side’s offensive while noting that Pakistan’s claims were unverified. The article quoted a statement from Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office claiming five Indian jets and drones had been shot down—an assertion India has not confirmed. Local officials in Jammu and Kashmir told Reuters that three jets had reportedly crashed in different locations during the night, with the pilots hospitalized. However, India’s Defence Ministry did not issue an immediate response. Photographs circulating in the local press showed debris believed to be from a downed aircraft, including a large metal fragment, though Reuters stated it could not independently verify the images.
Despite the lack of official confirmation, this led to widespread speculation and the spread of misinformation suggesting that Pakistan had successfully downed multiple Indian aircraft—a narrative that gained traction across several media platforms.
According to the Indian Defence Research Wing, on the morning of 7 May 2025, a jet went down near the Wayun area of Pampore in Pulwama district, close to the Line of Control. This incident occurred shortly after India’s Operation Sindoor, which involved targeted airstrikes on terrorist camps in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bhimber within Pakistani territory. Neither nation has taken responsibility for the jet crash, leaving its origin unconfirmed.
The Indian military has not released any official statement confirming this. Additionally, footage shared online shows India’s Akash missile system actively engaging a target, leading to speculation that the system may have brought down the aircraft. The Akash system, developed by DRDO, is capable of targeting jets and drones within a 45-kilometer range and is deployed extensively along the LoC. It demonstrated its capabilities in the 2023 Astrashakti exercise by intercepting multiple aerial threats simultaneously. Unverified reports also mention two more crashes—one in Akhnoor and another in Ramban—which align with Pakistan’s unconfirmed claim of downing three Indian jets.
Dravidianists Echoing Pakistani Narrative
Despite the lack of verified facts, certain Dravidian-leaning individuals have been quick to celebrate and amplify Pakistan’s narrative within India. One such voice, Dr. Adina Pricilia, posted the following claim online, “The Pakistani army has shot down two Indian aircraft. The first aircraft is a Su-30, acquired from Russia. A Pakistani pilot shot down the aircraft with an air-to-air missile, and it crashed in the Akhanur area. There is no information about the Indian pilot. However, when the Indian pilots saw the burning engine of the aircraft, they speculated that it could be a MiG-29 or a JF-17 engine. As a result, there is suspicion that the aircraft that crashed was an SU-30. The second aircraft was hit by Pakistan’s air defense weapon, the HQ-9 HIMADS, which is a surface-to-air missile. This aircraft fell in the Uyan area of Jammu and Kashmir. Since both aircraft fell inside Indian territory, experts believe that the missiles may have followed the Indian aircraft when they entered and attacked Pakistani territory before exiting.”
While Dravidianists are shameless continue to echo anti-national sentiments, what’s even more revealing is the stance taken by certain Congress leaders in the state. One such example is Tamil Nadu Congress functionary Dhivya Marunthiah, who posted controversial remarks on social media in the wake of India’s retaliatory airstrikes against terrorist camps. She appeared to downplay the Indian’s commitment to “Zero tolerance towards terrorism,” framing it as a political move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi rather than a national response to terrorism. In a post wrote, “So it’s not the Indian Army, it’s Narendra Modi.”
Dhivya also accused the Indian government of acting out of religious bias in its response to the attack—even though the terrorists in question had specifically targeted and killed 26 Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, reportedly asking them to recite Islamic prayers before executing them. Despite the Indian military carrying out a targeted and precise strike against terrorist infrastructure, she framed the response as communal.
In her words, “#OperationSindoor ? Terrorist attacks carried out by religious extremists are a grave threat to all humanity. But if a government, sworn to uphold a secular constitution and protect 1.46 billion people of diverse faiths, chooses to retaliate in the name of religion, it risks tearing apart the very fabric of our democracy. Retaliatory violence in the name of religion will not bring peace, it will only escalate fear, deepen divides, and perpetuate a cycle of conflict. What we are witnessing is not just a response to terrorism. It is a calculated political move by the BJP to manipulate grief, anger and religious identity for electoral gain. Playing politics with human lives is not only unethical, it is Un-Indian. We, the people of India, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and others stand united in our belief. We don’t want war. We demand conflict resolution. We seek justice rooted in truth, not vengeance. We want peace, not polarization. Let us not allow the politics of fear and hate to define our future. #EndWar#NotInOurName”
#OperationSindoor ? Terrorist attacks carried out by religious extremists are a grave threat to all humanity. But if a government, sworn to uphold a secular constitution and protect 1.46 billion people of diverse faiths, chooses to retaliate in the name of religion, it risks… pic.twitter.com/ugc9Fa39An
Her posts have drawn criticism for equating India’s defensive military response to terrorism with religious or political extremism, despite the targeted and limited nature of the operation. Many have pointed out the hypocrisy of accusing the Indian state of communalism while ignoring the religiously motivated nature of the original terrorist attack.
But if you look closely, all media reports clearly frame it as Pakistan’s claim—not confirmed fact.
Yet, these Dravidianist voices accept and promote it as truth, comfortably sitting behind their screens while pushing anti-Indian and socially divisive narratives.
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In an embarrassing climbdown after a widely criticized misinformation post about the Indian Air Force, The Hindu has issued what many are calling a tepid, self-serving apology — and promptly disabled comments to shield itself from public backlash.
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, The Hindu ran a now-deleted post that falsely claimed “at least three Indian jets had crashed” in Jammu and Kashmir, citing unnamed government sources. The report, authored by senior journalist Vijaita Singh, was quickly picked up by disinformation networks, including pro-Pakistan handles, before being debunked by defense experts and the Indian military as a misreading of standard fuel tank jettisoning during high-speed air operations.
Rather than owning up to the damage, The Hindu quietly pulled the post and published a carefully worded message that read, “We have deleted an earlier post about Indian aircraft involved in Operation Sindoor. There is no such on-record official information from India. We therefore decided to remove the post from our platforms. We regret that it created confusion among our readers.”
This isn’t an apology. This is a mere PR cover up.
Also – we thought you stood for freedom of speech, Mr. @nramind ?
What would you call a newspaper that publishes fake news against our armed forces, but can’t handle real replies from the people?
Critics were quick to point out that this statement stops well short of a proper retraction or apology. It fails to acknowledge the gravity of publishing unverified information during an ongoing national security operation. More troubling, The Hindu then disabled comments on the post — an unusual move for a paper that touts itself as a champion of press freedom and open discourse.
What irked many was not just the false report, but the attempt to shield the outlet from accountability. By disabling comments, The Hindu essentially denied readers the right to question, respond, or hold the publication to account — ironically, on the very platforms where it once positioned itself as a bastion of free speech.
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In the wake of India’s precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, most of India stood united. The country had just witnessed a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, and the response was surgical, targeted, and—as the Ministry of Defence confirmed—directed exclusively at terror camps, not military or civilian locations.
Yet, The Wire, a platform that increasingly mirrors the editorial leanings of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), found a way to cast doubt on the entire operation—and unsurprisingly, it came through the predictable voices of Arfa Khanum Sherwani and Siddharth Varadarajan.
Arfa Khanum Sherwani’s Apology Tour For Pakistan
During a Wire broadcast, Arfa Khanum Sherwani somberly stated, “We do not want bloodshed, we also do not want terrorism to strike from there. We also do not want a war to happen between the two countries and have the innocent civilians killed. Pakistan says that many of its civilians were killed and of course there were not terrorists who died.”
"Indians have killed civilians and not terrorists.."
This is Arfa, an Indian, pushing the Pakistani agenda. And then they ask why we call them anti national. pic.twitter.com/fphFmX04LA
Let that sink in. Instead of acknowledging the facts presented by India’s military or asking why terrorists were operating freely in Pakistan at all, Arfa chose to parrot Pakistani talking points, implying the operation killed only civilians—completely unverified and directly in sync with Islamabad’s disinformation campaign.
This wasn’t journalism. It was a broadcasted PR campaign for Pakistan, thinly veiled in moral relativism. She further declared that “no terrorists were killed,” as if The Wire had conducted its own reconnaissance mission over the JeM camps.
Siddharth Varadarajan: The Editor Who Empowers Propaganda
Siddharth Varadarajan, the editor of The Wire, offered no pushback, no fact-checking, and no context to challenge this dangerous narrative. In fact, his silence and facilitation of the show give him full editorial ownership over this moment of national disgrace. In what seemed like he was professing his love and loyalty to Pakistan, he said, “We must tell them don’t worry, we are there for you and we must be with them. Because when two countries which have a historical and cultural connection, a long one at that, a war must not happen between them. Our problems if we want to solve them, a war must be the last thing that should happen.”
Repeat after me,
Arfa Khanum and Siddharth Varadarajan are TRAITORS.
Their love for Pakistan is inevitable.@HMOIndia ban @thewire_in and arrest these traitors.
This is the same Siddharth Varadarajan who, during the 2020 Delhi riots, shared misinformation that sparked communal outrage and later had to quietly delete tweets. His Wire newsroom has repeatedly found itself amplifying anti-India narratives, especially during border clashes, anti-CAA protests, and now, cross-border counter-terrorism operations.
The Real Agenda: Whitewashing Terror, Demonizing India
Let’s be clear—India did not strike Pakistani civilian areas. Even global outlets noted that the Indian response was calibrated and avoided military or civilian installations. In fact, India went out of its way to avoid escalation, targeting only those directly linked to the killing of innocent Indians.
But The Wire wasn’t interested in facts. It was invested in delegitimizing India’s right to defend itself, by sowing confusion, casting aspersions, and crying “civilian casualties” before any evidence emerged. Their agenda has become formulaic: Downplay terror attacks on Indians, question Indian military responses, accept Pakistani versions at face value, and frame India as the aggressor.
Arfa Khanum Sherwani and Siddharth Varadarajan don’t just push biased journalism—they actively undermine India’s diplomatic, military, and strategic efforts in global perception.
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In the aftermath of India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, leading Western and Chinese media outlets were found to be broadcasting unverified and false claims originating from Pakistan’s military establishment.
CNN’s Unverified Claims Echo Pakistani Military
CNN was among the first international outlets to report Pakistan’s assertion that it had shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) jets. In a report by CNN’s Jerome Taylor, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed during an interview with CNN anchor Jim Sciutto that “There are two confirmed aircraft of the Indian Air Force [that] have already been shot down… There are other reports of multiple damages that the Pakistani forces, both on ground and air, have inflicted.”
CNN, while noting it could not independently verify the claim, aired the comments prominently, giving global visibility to what Indian defence analysts now call a “fabricated narrative to save face” following India’s surgical strikes on terror infrastructure. Indian authorities have categorically denied the loss of any aircraft, with sources confirming that no IAF jets were shot down, and that visuals circulating online were of fuel tank jettisoning—standard protocol during combat maneuvers.
Pakistan's military tells CNN it shot down two Indian Air Force aircraft after India said it struck sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The report also falsely located the supposed air battles near Bhatinda (Punjab) and Akhnoor (Jammu & Kashmir)—areas where no such engagements occurred.
China’s Global Times Joins the Disinformation Campaign
Not to be left behind, China’s state-run Global Times and Xinhua News Agency pushed the narrative further, reporting that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had shot down not just two, but a third Indian jet in “retaliation” to the overnight strikes. These reports, citing unnamed Pakistani military sources, echoed similar language and numbers, but once again lacked any satellite imagery, video confirmation, or independent verification.
Just like Pakistani outlets, even China's state runs global times pedals unsubstantiated information: pic.twitter.com/BqT2IlVA1g
The Global Times’ post on X repeated these claims without any disclaimer, further fueling disinformation campaigns spearheaded by Pakistani military-linked social media accounts.
Fact-Checkers Expose Hoax
Within hours, independent analysts and Indian authorities dismantled the false narrative:
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) flagged a viral video claiming an attack on Srinagar Airbase as old footage from 2024 sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Airforce has targeted Srinagar airbase#PIBFactCheck
✅ Please avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information. pic.twitter.com/9W5YLjBubp
No satellite imagery or credible footage of downed jets emerged, despite Pakistan’s claims. Indian Defence Ministry officials confirmed no aircraft were lost, dismissing the reports as “baseless propaganda.”
The disinformation was further amplified by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)-linked handles, which pushed claims of:
Strikes on 15 Indian locations (no evidence provided).
Destruction of an Indian Army Brigade HQ (proven false).
Attacks on Srinagar Airbase (debunked as recycled footage).
Despite the lack of verification, several Pakistani news channels aired these claims, further muddying the information landscape.
Operation Sindoor: A Calibrated Response
India’s missile strikes were launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali citizen. According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, Operation Sindoor was a “focused, non-escalatory” strike designed to target terror infrastructure and not Pakistani civilian or military sites.
Indian armed forces struck nine terror targets in PoK and Pakistani Punjab, with high-precision missiles reportedly neutralizing over 80 militants, many of whom belonged to JeM and LeT.
As Pakistan pushes claims of retaliation to control the domestic narrative, Indian officials have urged media and the public to rely only on verified sources.
While India’s Operation Sindoor was a measured response to terrorism, CNN and Global Times chose to act as megaphones for Pakistani propaganda—raising questions about their commitment to fact-based journalism.
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In what can only be described as an ironic twist, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government—while celebrating its “Dravidian Model” governance—managed to butcher the English language in a full-page advertisement splashed across The Hindu‘s front page today. The ad, commemorating four years of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s rule was so riddled with grammatical errors that it left readers wondering whether the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) had outsourced its copywriting to a hurried WhatsApp forward.
“Let It Continues” And Other Crimes Against Grammar
The advertisement proudly declared:
✘ “FOUR YEARS OF APPRECIATED GOVERNANCE!” (instead of “Appreciable Governance”)
✘ “LET IT CONTINUES FOR MANY YEARS !!” (instead of “Let It Continue”)
For a government that never misses an opportunity to flaunt its “progressive” and “intellectual” credentials, the sheer carelessness of these errors was nothing short of embarrassing.
The Hindu, once revered for its impeccable English and editorial standards, has now become a platform for government propaganda—and poorly written propaganda at that. Long-time readers lamented that the newspaper, which once helped Indians refine their language skills, is now aiding in its destruction.
The DMK has always positioned itself as the torchbearer of Tamil pride and linguistic excellence. Yet, its own publicity machinery seems to have forgotten basic English grammar – a language which its ideological leader EV Ramasamy advocated that Tamils learn. The advertisement also boasted about schemes like the “Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam” and the “Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme,” but if the government can’t even proofread a paid ad, one wonders about the efficiency of its welfare programs.
If the Tamil Nadu government is so keen on splurging taxpayer money on self-congratulatory ads, the least it could do is hire a competent proofreader. Or better yet—stick to Tamil. After all, if you’re going to make mistakes, they might as well be in a language your voters actually understand.
Until then, “Let It Continues” to be a laughing stock.
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Just hours after India carried out precision missile strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar was left visibly cornered on live television after being confronted with his own government’s record of supporting terrorism.
The Indian military’s carefully coordinated offensive, dubbed Operation Sindoor, was launched in the early hours of Wednesday in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists. According to military sources, nine key terror infrastructure sites were struck, including facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Indian authorities have confirmed that the strikes were focused, non-escalatory, and deliberately avoided Pakistani military targets.
Appearing on Sky News, Minister Tarar attempted to deflect blame onto India, accusing New Delhi of targeting civilian areas. However, anchor Yalda Hakim swiftly dismantled the narrative. “The Indian armed forces have said they only targeted terrorist camps and not Pakistani military facilities,” Hakim reminded the minister.
In response, Tarar flatly denied the existence of terror camps in Pakistan. “Let me make it very clear: there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan. Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. We are the frontline state against terrorism,” he said.
But Hakim pushed back, citing statements from Pakistan’s own top officials. “On my programme just a week ago, your Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that Pakistan has for decades had a policy of funding, backing, and using terrorist groups as proxies,” she said. “In 2018, President Donald Trump cut military aid to Pakistan because he accused Pakistan of playing a double game.”
Hakim went on to cite former Pakistani leaders including Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto, both of whom had publicly acknowledged Pakistan’s links with terror groups. “So when you say there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan, that contradicts what your own leaders have said—including what your Defence Minister said just last week,” she added.
Tarar, visibly struggling, doubled down with a sweeping statement, “Pakistan is the guarantor of world peace.”
He then extended an invitation to the anchor to visit Pakistan—only to be met with a pointed retort. “I have been to Pakistan,” Hakim replied. “And we know that Osama Bin Laden was discovered in Abbottabad in Pakistan.”
The interview highlighted the growing international scrutiny over Pakistan’s long-standing role in sheltering and supporting militant groups—a charge consistently denied by Islamabad, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
As tensions spiked across the region, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned India’s actions, calling the missile strikes an “act of war” and promising a “befitting reply.” Pakistan’s military claimed that at least eight civilians were killed and 35 injured in what they alleged were missile strikes on cities in Punjab and PoJK.
However, Indian military sources refuted these claims, stating that over 80 terrorists were neutralised and that no civilian or military Pakistani infrastructure was targeted.
Operation Sindoor marks one of the most assertive Indian military responses in recent years, underscoring New Delhi’s shift toward kinetic retribution in the face of persistent cross-border terrorism.
In the wake of India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, aimed at dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, sections of Indian media have come under sharp scrutiny for parroting enemy propaganda and amplifying disinformation. Chief among the culprits is The Hindu, whose coverage—particularly by senior journalist Vijaita Singh—has once again raised concerns about biased, irresponsible, and inflammatory reporting.
The latest controversy erupted following India’s precision counter-terror strikes, Operation Sindoor, targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. While the Indian Army emphasized the operation’s surgical nature, Pakistani media and propaganda networks immediately circulated false claims of retaliatory strikes and downed Indian jets.
Amid this disinformation campaign, alleged journalist Rana Ayyub had earlier amplified a Bloomberg report titled “India Strikes Pakistan After Kashmir Attacks. Pakistan Says It Has Shot Down Five Indian Planes, Taken Soldiers Prisoner,” despite Pakistan’s own Defence Ministry later debunking the claims.
Equally concerning was The Hindu’s now-deleted social media post falsely suggesting Indian jet crashes—a claim swiftly refuted by defense experts as mere fuel tank jettisoning. The post read, “Just In|At least three Indian jets have crashed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor, Ramban, and Pampore areas, a government official told The Hindu, @vijaita reports.”
The publication’s quick deletion of the post, without clarification, only deepened suspicions of deliberate misinformation.
The Hindu’s Dubious Track Record: A Pattern Emerges
This is far from the first time The Hindu has shown questionable editorial judgment in matters of national interest. In fact, under the guise of “independent journalism,” the publication and journalists like Vijaita Singh have repeatedly eroded public trust through selective, inflammatory, and often erroneous reporting.
During the Rafale controversy, The Hindu was accused of editing and misrepresenting official documents to manufacture a scandal. Now, as India defends its citizens after a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the paper once again published misleading reports suggesting aircraft crashes—claims immediately debunked by defense experts as misinterpreted fuel tank jettisoning. After facing backlash, The Hindu quietly deleted the post—without apology or correction—underscoring the dangerous impact of real-time misinformation.
Vijaita Singh’s Coverage of Manipur: Irresponsible And Inflammatory
Beyond the Kashmir-Pakistan narrative, Vijaita Singh’s reporting during the Manipur ethnic conflict stands out for its recklessness. Since violence erupted in May 2023, her articles have repeatedly highlighted unverified claims, inflammatory statements, and misleading headlines that have only deepened the rift between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
In March 2025, Singh quoted a protester who accused security forces of saying, “We are not Indians”—a claim that was later walked back by the protesterthemselves. Still, Singh chose to amplify the quote without context, potentially stoking anti-security sentiment in a state already teetering on the edge.
In January 2024, she authored a report claiming that “Meitei MLAs call for positive action,” which was later clarified by The Hindu itself to be factually incorrect. The resolution in question had not been passed exclusively by Meitei MLAs, as originally reported—an error with significant communal implications.
In another instance, Singh reported on Chief Minister N. Biren Singh skipping a North Eastern Council meeting, framing it as a rebuke of the central government. Once again, her narrative placed the state and Centre at odds during a period requiring collaboration and restraint.
Vijaita Singh has also been accused of leaking sensitive information, including the names of Army officers stationed in Manipur. This reckless act drew comparisons to the infamous 2008 Barkha Dutt controversy, where journalism blurred into national compromise.
The Real Cost of Misinformation
In a volatile democracy like India, journalistic irresponsibility can escalate crises. Reports like those by Vijaita Singh not only inflame public sentiment but also risk undermining the very institutions tasked with maintaining order. The Hindu, by repeatedly pushing such narratives, is no longer just failing at journalism—it is actively eroding national cohesion and aiding disinformation networks, wittingly or not.
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The Indian Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, issued a strong rebuttal to an editorial published by The Irish Times on April 28th, which called for international mediation between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In a formal letter to the editor, Ambassador Mishra criticized the editorial for what he called a “lack of professional objectivity” and for drawing a false equivalence between India and Pakistan.
The Irish Times editorial, titled“The Irish Times view on India and Pakistan: wider conflict must be avoided”, urged restraint from both sides and advocated for intervention by the United Nations and global powers to prevent further escalation. It expressed concern over retaliatory military action by India, following the April 22nd massacre in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians — including one Nepali tourist — were brutally killed by terrorists.
In his response, Ambassador Mishra emphasized the premeditated and communal nature of the attack, calling it a “barbaric, targeted massacre” in which Hindus were killed after their religion was confirmed. He strongly rejected the editorial’s framing of the incident as a generic act of violence against “tourists,” arguing that such language downplays the severity and ideological motivation behind the killings. “What happened in Pahalgam was not a mere ‘attack’ on ‘tourists’ or a random act of violence. It clearly bore the trademark of an operation executed by the military-establishment of Pakistan,” Mishra wrote.
The Ambassador also noted that the global response to the attack, including a unanimous UN Security Council condemnation and statements from leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was entirely omitted by The Irish Times. The UN resolution emphasized the importance of holding the perpetrators and sponsors of the attack accountable — a key element that Ambassador Mishra accused the editorial board of ignoring.
Refuting suggestions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “rattling sabres,” Mishra condemned the paper for what he called “providing cover fire for the terrorists.” He called out the attempt to portray India and Pakistan — the latter described as a “global epicentre of terrorism” — as equally culpable actors.
The Ambassador also pushed back against the editorial’s portrayal of Kashmir. He pointed out that, contrary to claims of repression following the 2019 revocation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has since seen significant development, increased foreign investment, and a revival of democratic processes, including a 63.9% voter turnout in the 2024 elections. “India, the mother of democracy, and its elected leadership, has an accountability and obligation to its 1.4 billion citizens to provide them with a terror-free environment for a normal life,” Mishra stated.
He concluded by underscoring the unprecedented national unity in India following the Pahalgam attack, with support cutting across political, religious, and regional lines — including from Kashmiri Muslims and opposition leaders — in backing the government’s resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Our reply to a malicious @IrishTimes editorial on #terrorist attack in #Pahalgam. Instead of condemning terror, sympathising with innocent victims, it provides #CoverFire for the terrorists & their sponsors by charging PM #Modi of "rattling sabres" & equating India with Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/Rti3hU3gnw
— Akhilesh Mishra, Indian Ambassador to Ireland (@AkhileshIFS) May 6, 2025
The Indian government’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the terror strike, involved targeted attacks on nine terror hubs inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. While India emphasized that the operation was “measured and non-escalatory,” Pakistani media and some international voices have continued to frame the situation in terms of mutual aggression.
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