Times Now has triggered a controversy after describing an image of Nepal’s burning Federal Parliament building as “what hope looks like”, alongside the caption: “A generation refusing to stay silent.” The post, which invoked youth movements in Nepal, Hungary and Serbia, has drawn criticism over the channel’s portrayal of unrest and the destruction of a democratic institution as symbols of hope.
The controversy comes months after journalist Zakka Jacob took over as Managing Editor of Times Now in April 2026, assuming day-to-day editorial leadership of the channel.
The channel’s post stated that young people across the world were standing together for “democracy, human rights, freedom and a future they can call their own.” But the choice of imagery and the slogan “Nepal Did It, Hungary Did It, Serbia Did It”, is questionable especially when showing a burning Parliament under the words “what hope looks like” seems to romanticise violent unrest and arson.
The image refers to the mass youth-led protests that shook Nepal in 2025. The protests culminated in widespread unrest, with the Federal Parliament building among the structures set on fire.
The final image also glorifies anarchy in the name of student protests and says, “The march of youth power across the globe.”
This is what Times Now wants in India @navikakumar @Zakka_Jacob? https://t.co/G99ZB2Zk2V
— Ankur Singh (@AnkurSingh) October 27, 2026
Times Now Deletes ‘Burning Parliament’ Post After Backlash
Times Now deleted the Instagram post following criticism that portraying Nepal’s burning Parliament as “what hope looks like” glorified violent unrest.
The controversy puts the spotlight on the channel’s editorial choices under Managing Editor Zakka Jacob, who took charge in April 2026. Jacob had previously criticised Delhi Police’s use of AI-enabled surveillance cameras at a student protest over privacy concerns.
While Jacob questioned the state’s use of surveillance against protesters, Times Now’s own post has drawn criticism for presenting the destruction of a democratic institution as a symbol of hope.
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