ISLAMABAD – Indian-occupied Kashmir witnessed another deadly incident in which 26 tourists were killed. Indian media however shifted focus from factual reporting to aggressive, war-driven narratives, drawing widespread criticism.
Indian TVs Times Now, India Today, and Zee News have been airing war monegering discussions blaming Pakistan and calling for military retaliation. Anchors and panelists, who are said be close to Modi’s government, openly called for cross-border military action, likening the attack to “India’s 9/11” and calling for “destruction of the enemy.”
In key segments, Arnab Gswami and other firebrand TV hosts used provocative headlines like “India Under Attack: Time to Respond” and “Pakistan Must Pay Price.” Tag lines like “The country must retaliate, and retaliation must be harsh,” were all over mainstream and digital media.
Former military officers of Indian army also appeared on media, suggesting open war, with phrases like “give the army a free hand” and “total military response.”
So far, Indian authorities have not presented any concrete evidence linking Pakistan to the attack. Nonetheless, TV discussions continue to point fingers at Islamabad, with little regard for verification or diplomatic consequences.
As tensions simmer, both governments are yet to issue a formal statement attributing blame or detailing the next course of action.
