By Syed Zubair Ahmad
Indian television media is increasingly becoming a global joke not only for its ‘communal content’ – as recently flagged by Chief Justice of India – but also for playing fake news in its impassioned attempt to target Muslim community in the country.
In pursuit of keeping ‘communal pot boiling’ ahead of high-stake Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the programming and contents of a set of TV news outlets on Taliban are ridiculously designed earning wrath from several media watch-dog bodies across globe.
The latest in a series of childish act, popular TV news outlets aired “Pakistan is invading Afghanistan this week’, referring to the conflict in Panjshir province in the war-torn nation. Republic TV on August 6 quoting footage from Hasti TV, an Afghan television channel in Britain, showed a video game clip saying that Pakistani air force attacked Panjshir Valley. Other news channels such as Times Now Navbhart, Bharatvarsh 9, Zee Hindustan and others also aired the same footage with same claims. However, fact check platform Boom, an independent digital journalism initiative with a mission to fight misinformation, exposed the fake news stating that the footage shown by the TV outlets is from video game Arma-3. On the other hand, India Today aired a clip of American F-15 jet flaying in Wales attributed it to the Pakistan bombing Panjshir Valley. The TV news anchor called it “full-fledged Pakistani invasion”.
The “obnoxious and furious” endeavours are aimed at “playing victimhood by selling fears” to favour BJP which is running short of “enemies” after the saffron silenced its “conventional enemy” – the Muslims.
“The TV news shows are not only making Indians fools for years by pushing into carpets pressing issues, they are also preparing goons and mobsters which could become Frankenstein monsters,” said a TV journalist wishing not to be named.
You know your 'news channel' has become an absolute joke when even PC Gamer calls you out for fake news.
Godijeevis making India proud internationally.https://t.co/4x3ZP0BrOL
— meghnad 🔗 (@Memeghnad) September 10, 2021
Netizens also severely criticized the ugly tamasha going on round the clock across all television news channels ever since the movement against corruption led by socialist Anna Hazare in 2012.
Hello @republic, The 'exclusive video' that your team has accessed of Airstrikes at #PanjshirValley is actually from a video game "Arma-3". 🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️🙆🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/TG7dJmvsQ9
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 6, 2021
It is highly shameful to see the credibility of Indian media reaching to nadir. Public outrage and media bodies’ concerns have been overlooked by “mainstream TV news outlets’ in ugly race for farce Television Rating Points (TRPs). Recently, the Supreme Court of India too raised concern in this regard while hearing a plea by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind and Peace Party regarding communalisation of news relating to the spread of coronavirus after the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi.
Hahhaaha Modi’s India has become a laughing stock on social media by airing gaming videos as ‘Pakistan’ war jets in Afghanistan.. 😂 😂
Indian media is largely a Hindu lie factory. Unprofessional, unethical, incapable of facts or credibility. RSS presstitutes. As for the Taliban, it’s obvious Hindu gutter rats are upset because they no longer have any influence in Afghanistan now.