The Times of India (TOI) has once again demonstrated its penchant for sensationalism by grossly misrepresenting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statements on the pollution of the Ganga. In its headline, TOI falsely claims that Yogi “blames Britishers for Ganga pollution” and suggests that he declared “Westerners shouldn’t give gyan to Indians on river cleaning.” However, a careful examination of the CM’s actual speech reveals that this is nothing more than a deliberate distortion of facts.
What Yogi Adityanath Actually Said
Yogi Adityanath’s speech in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council provided a factual historical account of how Kanpur became a critical point of pollution for the Ganga. He said, “Mother Ganga travels 1,000km in UP from Bijnor to Ballia. In this 1000km journey, the most critical point of the river was Kanpur. And this critical point was not for Uttar Pradesh. It was Kanpur that was the critical point in the entire 2500 km stretch from Gangotri to Gangasagar. For 125 years, 4 crore litres of sewage was drained into the Ganga at Sisamau. We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring the river’s cleanliness through the Namami Gange scheme. He had deployed the funds in 2015 itself but the then Samajwadi Party which was ruling did not take any steps to implement it. Those people who talk about pollution, are the same people who could not do anything during their time. And when we got the chance, the double-engine Sarkar converted the sewer point at Sisamau to a selfie point. Today, the sewer is not emptied into the river at Kanpur. How did the sewer point come into existence in the first place – it was there from the British era. The western thinkers who preach to us today do not see their deeds and they said that the river that was called polluted is still as sacred and pure for the followers of Sanatana Dharma.”
At no point did Yogi Adityanath “blame” the British in an accusatory sense—he merely acknowledged the historical reality that industrial sewage dumping into the Ganga at Kanpur began during colonial rule. Likewise, his comment about Western “thinkers” was not a sweeping dismissal but a call for introspection. He simply pointed out the irony of those who ignore their own environmental failures while lecturing India on river conservation.
Despite these clear facts, TOI chose to manipulate Yogi’s words into a misleading narrative. Their headline suggests that the Chief Minister was attempting to absolve contemporary polluters and solely pin the blame on the British. In reality, he was explaining the origins of the problem while highlighting his administration’s efforts to rectify it.
Furthermore, TOI framed his remark on Westerners as a blanket rejection of foreign expertise on environmental issues. In truth, Yogi merely pointed out that the Ganga remains sacred to millions, and those who now offer unsolicited advice should first acknowledge their own past actions.
Not The First Time
This is not the first time TOI or other mainstream media outlets have twisted the statements of leaders who do not fit their ideological mould.
In January 2025, Times of India published an obituary for senior Maoist leader Chalapathi that massively downplayed his violent legacy and instead glorified him as a “military strategist” and an “intellectual.” The article highlighted his reading habits and multilingual abilities while failing to acknowledge the countless lives lost due to his orchestrated attacks.
It presented his role in the Maoist movement in a sanitized manner, omitting the suffering of victims and the security forces’ efforts to combat insurgency. Instead of condemning his violent actions, the piece seemed to mourn his death, continuing the media’s pattern of romanticizing terrorists and extremists.
Once again in January 2025, Times of India twisted the story of Bangladeshi national Shariful Fakir, who allegedly stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan, by portraying him as a victim of poverty and systemic injustice rather than a criminal. Instead of focusing on his illegal entry, violent crime, and the dangers of unchecked immigration, TOI highlighted his struggles, ailing mother, and admiration for Shah Rukh Khan.
The article downplayed the security risks posed by illegal immigration and framed Fakir’s actions as a result of desperation, effectively excusing his crime. This continues TOI’s trend of humanizing criminals while ignoring the broader law-and-order implications.
In September 2023, Times of India’s chief cartoonist, Sandeep Adhwaryu, published a cartoon in response to the Ujjain rape case, portraying Hindus as indifferent to the victim’s suffering. The cartoon sparked outrage, as many saw it as Hinduphobic propaganda that ignored the fact that a Hindu priest and a local man, Rahul Sharma, helped the girl.
Hence deleting the tweet having cartoon with @timesofindia logo. My apologies for the confusion 🙏 https://t.co/rhYNJ9cRNM
— Sandeep Adhwaryu 🇮🇳 (@CartoonistSan) September 28, 2023
A complaint was filed against TOI and the cartoonist, demanding legal action. Following backlash, Adhwaryu removed the TOI logo from the cartoon, claimed it was done in a personal capacity, and issued an apology—not for the cartoon itself, but for misusing TOI’s logo.
Instead of engaging in fair reporting, TOI seems more interested in pushing sensationalist angles that suit its editorial bias. The article conveniently omits the Chief Minister’s acknowledgment of the river’s self-purifying nature and his emphasis on the economic benefits of Maha Kumbh, which TOI buried under its misleading headline.
By twisting Yogi Adityanath’s words, TOI has once again prioritized clickbait over truth. In an era where misinformation is rampant, responsible journalism is not just a duty—it is a necessity.
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