Most children from poor and marginalised families study in these government-aided schools. In fact, a large number of school-going children from families living in the worsening socio-economic situation are not entering the field of education.

The point is that education for the poor has reached rock bottom. What will be the consequences of this state of affairs?

The state government’s apathetic attitude toward education has created an atmosphere of fear. Not only the general public and guardians, but also officials in state and Union ministries discussed the education scenario in West Bengal at the end of April 2025. Both sides reportedly expressed “deep” concern over the dwindling number of students at the primary and upper primary levels.

The Basis for ‘Deep’ Concern

The number of mid-day meals that students partake is being considered a criterion at the government level. The decline in the number of students receiving mid-day-meals is a picture of decline among students in government-sponsored primary and upper primary schools. Students of both these levels receive mid-day meals.

In addition, parents seem reluctant to admit their children to government schools. Although there are exceptions, but this is broadly a state phenomenon, several school teachers this writer spoke to, said. Why?

During the last Left Front regime in Bengal from 2006-2011, about 50,000 teachers and non-teaching staff were recruited through specific examination (District Primary School Councils took the exam for primary teachers, and four regional School Service Commissions arranged for high and higher secondary teachers and non-teaching staff). A large portion of these recruitments were of primary school teachers.

“ The district primary school councils used to recruit teachers through examinations within a specific period of time”, Jyansankar Mitra, former Chairman of Bankura District Primary School Council, told this writer.

“The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) was constituted in November 1997 under the West Bengal School Service Commission Act. The Act was enacted on April 1, 1997, and came into effect on the same day. The Commission is responsible for recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff in government- aided schools in West Bengal.  Since then, teachers have been recruited to high and higher secondary schools through examination almost every year” said Professor Biswanath Koyal, first Chairman of Western Zone of WBSSC, whose jurisdiction was Bankura, Purulia, undivided Pashchim Medinipur, and Purbo Medinipur.

According to the Right to Education Act 2009, the Ideal student-teacher ratio should be 30: 1. In 2008, this ratio was 35: 1

Biman Patra, district secretary of All Bengal Primary Teacher Association, Bankura district committee, the largest primary teachers’ organisation of Bengal and Panab Mahato, his counterpart in Purulia, said due to the severe shortage of teachers, the current ratio had risen to 70:1.

After the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, the government recruited primary teachers in 2014 and 2016.  There are allegations of widespread corruption in recruitment of those who were appointed in 2017 after the 2016 exams. The matter is sub judice in the Calcutta High Court.

As of now, the jobs of over 32,000 primary teachers are hanging in uncertainty. Significantly, On April 3, the Supreme Court, having reached the conclusion that there was multiple corruption in the recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff in high and higher secondary schools through WBSSC in 2016, cancelled the entire panel. As a result, 25,752 teachers and non-teaching staff lost their jobs.

There are similar allegations in the primary recruitment sector. In fact, many schools do not have enough teachers against the requirement. On the other side, a large portion of those who are in teaching positions are uncertain about the continuity of their jobs.

“Overall, it can be said that there has been an institutional crisis in the education sector in the state. This is having a devastating impact on students, teachers and parents in the area”, Panab Hazra, a librarian at Sidhu-Kanhu University of Purulia and Subikash Choudhury, former head of the department of economics, Bankura Christian College, told this writer.

“Despite financial difficulty, I have admitted my son to a private school, because I do not know when the government schools will close. The teachers are not adequate. I do not know if those who are  there, will continue”, said Mainuddin Mandal, a bread hawker in Vhikurdihi village of Bankura district. He hawks bread brough from Chandigarh in Punjab.

His wife, Rehena Bibi, said “We are struggling to run our family only for our children’s future. We have to somehow survive. We spend Rs 3,000 a month (in a private school) for my child in Class 4.” She said many parents were opting for this instead of government schools for the future of their children.

In Bagmundi area of Purulia district, this writer met a migrant worker, Ramesh Sardar. When asked, he said, “What will happen if my son completes his schooling? Will he get a job? Is there any job here? Several educated youths are sitting idle, counting their days. They are highly frustrated.”

He said he had admitted his son, Bachhu, in a high school. He studied up to Class 7. “There is only one teacher, how can this teacher manage four classes? What will students learn? Nothing. It is better to learn some manual labour skill from an adolescent age and find work in other states. At least, he will be able to eat and survive, and look after the family in the near future”.

A few days ago, some male and female agricultural labourers, along with their school- going children from Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram districts, were seen waiting at the Bankura bus stand under the scorching sun for buses to return home after harvesting boro paddy from various villages in Hooghly and East and West Bardhaman districts.

“There is no work in the area, matikatar kaj (MGNREGA work) has been closed for four years, and panchayats do not respond regarding our work. We have to survive somehow, so we go wherever we find work. Who do we leave our sons and daughters with? So, we take them along,” Urmila Lohar from Tilaboni village in Purulia, said.

When asked, all of them said that “education of our children are no longer on our minds. We have to survive first, then study.”

“This painful picture is common among jobless poor and marginalised families across West Bengal”, said Amiya Patra, leader of the Khetmajur Union and Sagar Badyakar, assistant secretary of the union’s Bengal unit.

Teachers Trying Hard to Bring Children to School

During the Left Front regime, there was a Village Education Committee (VEC) in every area. That committee consisted of an elected representative from the local panchayat/municipality, a member of the Opposition party, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) workers, an education expert of the area and teachers. The committee would discuss the ongoing situation of education in the area and take necessary measures.

“After the Trinamool Congress came to power, that VEC was dissolved. There is no discussion on education issues of the area even in the education standing committee at the block level. Only one meeting is held a year, that too related to school annual sports,” said Patra.

Rupak Mondal, district secretary of ABPTA, Jhargram district, along with several male and female teachers from Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram, confirmed that the two years of school closure during the Covid pandemic was still having a major impact. In families, where children did not attend school after it re-opened in 2022, the younger brothers and sisters have been following suit.  Many of them have left government schools and have enrolled in private ones. That trend is continuing.

It is a fact there is severe shortage of teachers as well as of officials in the education department, who are responsible to monitor the condition of schools. In this situation, several teachers have been visiting the homes of villagers and are trying to bring their children back to school.

“We go to different houses in the village and look for expectant mothers. We tell them in advance that when the child is born, he/she should be admitted to our government school. We observed that if a child takes admission in a private school his/her brother and sister will follow that path. But the fact is that in many families, the youth are not getting married because they don’t have jobs. As a result, the number of child births is decreasing” said Amit Goswami, headmaster of Kenjakura Primary school. Bankura.

“There is reluctance among parents to admit their children to government schools. The shortage of teachers is a big reason. Child birth is also decreasing in remote areas. We have asked the government to think deeply about this issue and take proper needful measures”, said Tuhin Banerjee, a primary teacher in Dubraji village of Bankura and district leader of Trinamool’s Shikhsha cell.

The District Information System of Education (DISE), which records all information regarding a school, according to the RTE Act, regarding meeting of specific criteria or if an educational institute is not given the DISE code number. During the Left Front regime, private schools did not get that code. Now it is being given to private schools in large numbers. As a result, the number of private schools is increasing.

Despite struggling to support their families, many low-income people are sending their kids to private schools, which has turned into a status symbol, said several teachers and guardians. Many parents also complained that the syllabus of government schools was not “good” and “up to date”. Also, there are fewer teachers in government schools.

On the other hand, private schools offer opportunities to study many subjects, including computers. Several parents feel this is one the key reasons for low enrolment in government schools.

Significantly, many government school teachers also are admitting their children to private schools. This is also having an impact on the people’s mind. As a result, students from financially backward families study in private schools till the primary level, but when they enter high school, they face problems in adapting to the environment. Not all families are able to afford the high cost of private education. Hence, many are forced to drop out midway.

Situation in Upper Primary Schools

Upper primary schools were built during the Left Front regime considering the geographical location of the area so that children do not have to go to high schools located far away to study from Class 5. They could study in the local area up to Class 8. After reaching Class 9, the boys and girls could travel to a distant high school.

“The Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra (MSK) that are built for grades five to eight are provided with adequate teachers”, said Fatik Goswami, former headmaster of Radhamadhab Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra of Kumidya village in Bankura. After TMC came to power, new teachers were not appointed in upper primary schools. As a result, the number of students kept decreasing.

Six MSKs have already been closed in Ranibandh of Bankura district. On January 7 this year, the Bankura district administration issued an order for shutdown of seven more MSKs. This includes Kumidya Radhamadhab MSK School.

“Had the government appointed adequate teachers in this school, students would have continued their education”, lamented Mrityunjoy Banerjee, headmaster of the school. He and a  teacher, Ramsankar Patra, appealed for saving the school at any cost.

“There have been no adequate teachers for years. How can we send our children to a school that lacks educators? Many have already dropped out,” said Bulu Dasmohonto of Kumidya village.

The newly established upper primary schools, which are called new set-ups, do not have the necessary number of teachers. Therefore, the number of student admissions is low, said a teacher in-charge of a newly set up a girls school in Indpur block.

Several guardians said after studying there were no job opportunities here. Several boys who studied in upper primary are already realising this and have dropped out of school to try other jobs. Several are already registered as migrant labourers.

Number of Students Taking Mid-Day-Meals

To meet the nutritional needs of students, the Left Front government in West Bengal was among the first to introduce mid-day meals in the country in primary and upper primary levels. Later, it was introduced across the country.  In this context, the number of students receiving mid-day meals has become a definitive indicator of enrolment.  During Left Front rule, in the 2010-11 academic year, 72,40,341 students received mid-day meals. After 14 years under the TMC regime, only 46,83,053 students are receiving mid-day meals.  This indicates a decline of 26,57,288 students in primary education — a 35% decrease compared with 2010-11.

The number of students has dramatically decreased at Shibarampur Primary School in Bankura .

The situation is even worse at the upper primary level. In the last academic year, 40,41,666 students were admitted to upper primary in the state. As per state government figures, 23,66,232 students are receiving mid-day meals in upper primary schools. This means enrolment at the upper primary level has decreased by 42%.

When asked, Jagabandhu Banerjee, the District Inspector of School, admitted that the number of students admitted to primary schools had decreased. A section of people was moving to urban areas, he said, adding that therefore, the number of students in villages was decreasing. Efforts are being made to solve this crisis, he added.

The writer covers the Jangalmahal region for ‘Ganashakti’ newspaper in West Bengal.

(All pictures by Madhu Sudan Chatterjee)

Courtesy: Newsclick

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It has been more than 75 years since the founding fathers (and mothers) of the Constitution took this bold stand when they were shaping the guidelines around which the newly independent country would move forward. A cursory glance at the constitutional debates makes it abundantly clear that a majority of the members – despite their own religious inclination – were clearly of the opinion that schools, whose basic purpose was to open minds of children and not make them a dumping ground of useless information, should never be opened up for any type of religious instruction.

What was important was that they were seeing the perils of poisoning of minds by religious frenzy in this part of the sub-continent, and were keen that the future of independent India should be secured on secular grounds only.

Perhaps it needs emphasising that Article 28 of the Constitution makes it more explicit and does not leave any ambiguity as far its implementation is concerned.

“No person attending any educational institution recognised by the state or receiving aid out of state funds shall be required to take part in any religious instruction that may be imparted in such institution or to attend any religious worship that may be conducted in such institution or in any premises attached thereto unless such person or, if such person is a minor, his guardian has given his consent thereto cultural and educational rights.”

What Does One Mean by Religious Instruction?

The expression religious instruction here has a restricted meaning. It conveys that teaching of customs, ways of worships, practices or rituals cannot be allowed in educational institutions wholly maintained out of State funds.

Much water has flown down the Ganges, the Jamuna and all rivers of the country and it appears that slowly, but not so silently, attempts are on to water down the provisions of this Article and facilitating religious instruction in government schools through the back door.

The manner in which Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has suddenly decided to hold summer workshops on the Ramayana and the Vedas in government schools across the state, without any broader consultation with the stakeholders involved in this endeavour, is symptomatic of the brazen attitude of the government. We are told that these workshops will be organised under the aegis of the International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute, Ayodhya, and will include activities, like Ramlila, Ramcharitmanas recitation, Vedic chanting, painting, and mask-making.

As expected, this retrograde move by the Yogi government has generated anger among the broad masses as well as concerned citizens, who have demanded that this move be immediately rescinded.

Broadly they have three big objections:

– One, it clearly goes against the provisions of Article 28 of the Constitution and thus is a violation of constitutional principles and values.

– Two, in a state where people of different faiths have been living together for centuries together – giving primacy to the religion of the majority – will be an act of overt discrimination against all religious minorities, including those handful of students who are atheists.

– Three, such workshops will reinforce the deep-rooted gender and caste discrimination in these scriptures.

The resistance to this move has taken two forms. On the one hand, concerned citizens or political leaders have condemned these attempts as a violation of the Constitution. Leaders like Chandrashekhar ‘Ravan’ of the Bhim Army, also a Lok Sabha MP, has even suggested that if at all the government wants to organise workshops, they should be focused on the Constitution.

Secondly, courts have been approached at various levels with pleas that they condemn such moves and help strengthen the struggle for constitutional values and principles.

One such petition is not only aimed at “[s]afeguarding constitutional values but also at ensuring that our education system remains inclusive, secular, and scientific”. It demands quashing of the orders dated May 5 and May 8, 2025, and seeks following relief.

• Directing authorities to refrain from promoting specific religious texts in schools.

• Ensuring that education remains inclusive, secular, and scientific.

• Stop this act of overt discrimination which sanctifies and legitimises gender and caste discrimination.

The petition also explains why this order of the Yogi government is unconstitutional and harmful to society for the following reasons:

One, such an order violates secularism. Everybody knows that the Constitution recognises secularism as a fundamental feature (S.R. Bommai vs. Union of India, 1994). Mandating Ramcharitmanas and Vedas, which are Hindu religious texts, in public schools promotes a specific religion. This violates Article 28(1) of the Constitution, which prohibits religious instruction in State-run schools.

In Aruna Roy vs.Union of India (2002), the Supreme Court clarified that while comparative study of religions in a secular context is permissible, promoting a single religion’s text is unconstitutional.

Two, such orders promote caste and gender discrimination:

Certain verses in Ramcharitmanas, such as “Dhol, gawar, shudra, pashu, nari, ye sab tadan ke adhikari” (Sunderkand, 58.3) and “Nari swatantra na bhave, pati bina dukh pave” (Ayodhyakand,

60), demean Shudras and women. These verses contradict Article 14 (equality before the law), Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination), and Article 17 (abolition of untouchability) of the Constitution. Promoting such texts in schools not only violates the rights of Scheduled Castes and women but also undermines social equality.

Three, it facilitates attacks on scientific temper: Article 51A(h) of the Constitution imposes a duty on every citizen to promote scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Prioritising religious and mythological texts, such as the Ramayana and the Vedas weakens rational thinking and scientific inquiry.

In Santosh Kumar vs. Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development (1994), the Supreme Court stated that education must promote a scientific and rational outlook, not religious superstition.

Four, promote violation of minority rights: Articles 29 and 30 grant minorities the right to preserve their culture and educational autonomy. Mandating Ramcharitmanas imposes a Hindu-centric culture on students from Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and other minority communities, violating their cultural and religious rights (St. Xavier’s College v. State of Gujarat, 1974).

Five, administrative impropriety. This impropriety can be understood in the way an institute under the culture department issued orders directly to officials of the education department, which is a violation of administrative protocols.

The way the Supreme Court emphasised in the U.P Gangadharan vs. State of Kerala (2006)case that administrative actions must follow established protocols. Since the said order has been issued without consultation with the education department, it is illegal and arbitrary.

It is also no small matter that the move facilitates misuse of public funds. Article 27 prohibits the use of taxpayer money to promote any particular religion. The use of public funds for these workshops, such as for teacher training and materials, promotes Hindu religious values, which is against the ruling in Prafull Goradia vs. Union of India (2011) and also displays lack of constitutional morality. We should not forget that in the case of Indian Young Lawyers Association vs. State of Kerala (2018), the Supreme Court defined constitutional morality as adherence to principles of equality, liberty, and justice. Promoting caste and gender hierarchies of Ramcharitmanas contradicts these values.

There is nothing surprising about this move by the Yogi government which, as the petition well explains, is a clear “violation of Constitution”. Remember, with the ascent of BJP at the Centre (in 2014), many states opened up various ways and means in which a particular religion — namely Hindu religion — is overtly or covertly promoted.

Take this news item where neighbouring Madhya Pradesh has already introduced Hindu religious texts as part of the curriculum of State government schools. A few years ago, the then BJP government in Rajasthan had come under the scanner of civil liberty activists and educationists for its controversial move to bring Saints-Mahatmas in government schools. It is now history how the Haryana government had decided to include the Bhagwad Gita in the school curriculum, merely a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought his party, the BJP, to power at the Centre.

Such moves, which seem to violate constitutional principles and values, are, in fact, a reinforcement of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS-BJP’s tremendous discomfort with the Constitution itself. It is now history when the Constituent Assembly adopted the draft of the Constitution in November 1949, within three days after its adoption, an editorial in the Organiser (RSS mouthpiece) criticised it in no uncertain terms and praised Manusmriti: [Excerpts from an Editorial on Constitution, Organiser, November 30, 1949). The Hindutva Supremacist movement was praising Manusmriti and counterposing it with the newly adopted Constitution. Another stalwart of the Hindutva movement, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, similarly lambasted the draft of the Constitution and emphasised that Manusmriti should have been made the basis of Indian laws.

What is worth emphasising here is that there are various judgements/interventions of the courts at the highest level itself which have been categorical in cautioning the executive about bringing in religious instructions in schools.

Take the case of a petition filed by a lawyer Vinayak Shah from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, in the Supreme Court. It has challenged the recitation of Sanskrit prayers in Kendriya Vidyalayas. According to him, doing so effectively amounts to “religious instructions for schools funded by the government”. This, Shah has argued, violates Article 28(3) of the Constitution, which says that nobody attending educational institutions recognised by the State or those which receive aid out of State funds, shall be required to take part in any religious instruction or religious worship in institutions or premises attached to them—unless they are minors and their guardian has consented to it.

This petition revolves around three issues:

One, it is not right to compel children of all religions, including those from families that are atheist and agnostic, to sing Hindu prayers.

Two, considering the constitutional prohibition on students being made to take religious instruction in government-funded schools, the 1,100 Kendriya Vidyalayas must not insist on holding such prayer meetings every day.

Three, prayer songs obstruct the development of a scientific temper in students, which in turn Violates Article 51A(h) of the Constitution that says that it shall be the duty of every citizen to develop a scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.

Considering the seminal importance of this issue, a bench led by Justice Rohinton Nariman and Justice Vineet Saran have referred the matter to the Chief Justice of India to be examined by a Constitutional Bench comprising at least five judges.

One can also look at a case from Maharashtra where Sanjay Salve, a teacher at a Nashik school had waged a lonely struggle against the management of a school that had refused to give him a raise for he had refused to fold hands during school prayers. Salve approached the courts asking that his right to freedom of expression be protected. He said that he cannot be forced to stand with folded hands during prayers and that singing of prayers amounts to imparting religious education, not permissible under Article 28(1) of the Constitution.

A two-member bench of the Bombay High Court had ruled in his favour, saying that “forcing a teacher to do so [fold hands during prayers] will be a violation of the fundamental rights.

One can also refer to how the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), tasked to assist and advise Central and state governments over school education, shared a manual on sensitising schools to the needs of minority students.

A point worth contemplation in view of the Yogi government’s order is that whether educational institutions can compel students to have religious instruction under the name of moral education, as many such orders are couched in the language of teaching “value” to the students.

Perhaps the draft committee of the Constitution, chaired by B R Ambedkar, was aware of this possibility and had made it explicit that any such act would be a violation of Article 19, which gives the right to freedom of expression to every citizen and its violation would be, in fact, a violation of Article 25(1). It says:

“Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion.”

Looking back, one can see the progressive nature of these various articles in the Constitution, instituted by a draft committee — majority of whom were believers and hardly a few who were declared atheists — who were keen that no matter what it takes, schools administered by State funds should never be allowed to give religious instruction in any form. May be after witnessing the Partition of the country, where religion was used as a basis of nationhood by a significant section of the population and which witnessed tremendous bloodletting, they could foresee the importance of keeping religion restricted to one’s private domain.

Whether Yogi government will be allowed to have its way and thus further facilitate dilution of Constitutional principles – with its controversial order of organising Ramayana and Vedic workshops in government schools of UP — is the key question before us today!

Either way, the battle to save the Constitution will continue unabated.

The writer is a senior independent journalist. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

The post UP: Ramayana, Vedic Workshops in Govt Schools Challenged appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In the immediate aftermath, a chilling new aspect emerged: terrorists reportedly demanded the religion of their victims before pointedly unleashing their violence against only those from the Hindu majority. This deeply disturbing report, amplified across social media, quickly fuelled a divisive narrative and a wave of online trolling against Kashmir and its Muslim residents.

Amidst the chaos, when death stared everyone in the face, the first heroic story that emerged was that of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a brave local pony handler, unarmed and unprotected, who displayed a level of courage and humanity that stands unmatched. Adil Shah did not flee. He did not hide. Instead, he stepped forward to confront the attackers, questioned them for their inhumanity, and tried to shield two terrified tourists from Pune — Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale. In doing so, he was shot four times — twice in the chest, once in the abdomen, and another bullet tore through him elsewhere. He succumbed tohis injuries on the spot, his blood soaking the very earth he had guided thousands across, every day, with quiet pride and dignity.

Besides Adil who sacrificed his life, far removed from the sensationalised claims and buzzing news cycles that amplified the hate narrative, on ground, multiple accounts of unbridled solidarity and assistance towards the victim survivors unfolded. While the hysterical reporting on a vast majority of electronic media channels chose to ignore these accounts, these accounts of reassuring humanity, painted a starkly different picture. Despite the vitriol aimed at Kashmir and its people, the valley affirmed its unwavering commitment to peace, love, and harmony, showcasing the very essence of the hospitality for which it has long been celebrated.

When a native Kashmiri guy Sajad saves a young boy from a volley of gunfire in Pahalgam

A native Kashmiri, Sajad Bhat, emerged as a true beacon of courage amidst the chaos, bravely saving a young boy from the gunshots and gunfire in Pahalgam’s Baisaran area. This local hero instinctively carried an injured tourist down to safety on his back after the attack.

जब गोलियों की आवाज़ से पहलगाम थर्रा उठा, तब एक कश्मीरी युवक ने घायल की मदद कर दिखाया कि मानवता ज़िंदा है।#Pahalgam #kashmirattack pic.twitter.com/PI2bSuLTG6

— Lallanpost (@Lallanpost) April 23, 2025

A scene of selfless rescue

Sajad Bhat, who unhesitatingly risked his own life, later recounted the harrowing experience and the immediate, collective response from the local community. Describing the frantic efforts to save lives, he explained: “Baisaran Valley is a very large valley. When we saw the injured there, our first priority was how to safely get them to the hospital and help them. Many horsemen also carried them on horseback to the hospital,” he explained, painting a picture of a spontaneous, collective effort.

#Watch: Meet #SajadBhat, a local who carried an injured tourist down to safety on his back after the #Pahalgam attack pic.twitter.com/VcT1fUAbdS

— Greater Kashmir (@GreaterKashmir) April 24, 2025

Saw a child who was pleading, ‘uncle, uncle! save me, save me!’: Bhat

He further detailed his own harrowing rescue of a child. He said that “Besides me, there were many others who carried them on their shoulders to get them to the hospital. I also saw a child who was calling out, ‘Uncle, Uncle!’ He was pleading, ‘Save me, save me!’ I directly put my life at risk, lifted him onto my shoulders, and took him straight to the hospital. On the way, I reassured him constantly, telling him not to be afraid, that nothing would happen to him here. I gave him water on the way and took him directly to the hospital.”

Sajad Bhat firmly stated that it’s the inherent responsibility of locals to aid the injured. When speaking about the injured civilians, he clarified, “I wasn’t there when the initial incident happened. We reached there later for the rescue. It’s our duty, the duty of the locals here, to go there and help the injured.”

A plea for humanity and peace: ‘we stand with you, don’t be afraid; please come to Kashmir

Recalling the horrific scene, Bhat described, “It was a terrifying sight. We too were scared in our places, wondering what was happening. No one was visible; some tourists and some horsemen were wandering around, trying to save people.”

He didn’t shy away from emphasising the profound gravity of the situation, stating with deep emotion, “Our intention is that humanity has been murdered; the entire Kashmiri people have been murdered. This should not happen; this should never happen.”

In a heartfelt plea, Bhat earnestly requested, “We just request that you don’t be afraid. Please come; you are our guests; you are our brothers. We stand with you. Don’t be afraid; please come to Kashmir.”

#Pahalgamattack: #SajadBhat, #Kashmiri hawker whose video of helping victims went viral pic.twitter.com/fF1aNrLm1E

— The Tribune (@thetribunechd) May 2, 2025

When a Hindu man rescued Maulvi and Madrassa student in Poonch amidst bombing

In the aftermath of the cross-border shelling in Poonch, a remarkable story of interfaith unity and bravery emerged. Former BJP MLA Pardeep Sharma, 51, was hailed as a hero for transcending religious and political lines to rescue those affected.

As reported by India Today (IT), when mortar shells struck Jamia Zia Ul Uloom, a local madrassa housing over 1,200 students and operated by his childhood friend Sayyed Habib, Sharma immediately rushed to the scene.

A Hindu Man, a Madrasa, and a Lesson in Brotherhood from Poonch

Here’s a special conversation with the madarsa head Syed Habib and his friend Pradeep Sharma who saved Madarsa students#NewsToday #Poonch #Unity (@sardesairajdeep, @kamaljitsandhu) pic.twitter.com/HiHpO4tVk6

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) May 15, 2025

Friendship forged in crisis

Sharma’s actions were driven by a decades-old friendship with Sayyed Habib, forged when they first met in Class 9 at Poonch Government School. Despite their divergent paths into religious leadership and politics, their bond remained strong.

IT reported that this enduring friendship brought them together again as shells rained down on several buildings across town. Viral videos captured Sharma carrying wounded children to safety, earning him the title of “guardian angel” among Poonch residents. The attack tragically claimed the life of a maulvi and injured three children.

Recalling the harrowing moments, Sharma stated, “The maulvi died in my arms. I tried to help by placing a cloth on his cheek, but he couldn’t be saved.” He added, “Then I rushed to save three children. The hospital was full, so I held on to them until a stretcher became available.” When urged to save himself, Sharma’s response was resolute: “I told them the shells weren’t meant for me. At least not today” as reported

With me were Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs—all working together to help: Sharma

Sharma profoundly underscored the collective spirit that permeated the scene, noting that “With me were Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs—all working together to help. In that moment, nothing else mattered but saving those kids.” Sayyed Habib echoed this sentiment, confirming, “I didn’t think twice. I called Pardeep bhai. I knew he’d come—and he did.” While Sharma tended to the injured, Sayyed oversaw the safety of over a thousand children.

If anyone sees religion during tragedy, there is no person worse than him: Sharma

Sharma emphasised the collective spirit at the scene, highlighting that “If anyone sees religion during tragedy, there is no person worse than him. When shells are falling and bullets are being fired and people are getting killed and injured and you talk of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, then you don’t have the right to live,” as Indian Express reported

Sharma was actively “on the roads” for four days with his team, assisting in shifting the injured to hospitals. He recounted being woken by his family during the shelling on the intervening night of May 6 and 7: “I could hear the loud explosions. I thought of doing something for the people caught in the crossfire to help them in this distressing situation.” He even used Facebook Live to urge people to stay indoors and remain alert, as Indian Express reported

Hindus, Muslims are helping each other; society must not be divided at any cost after Pahalgam: tourist Puja Jadhav

A tourist identified as Puja Jadhav, when vacationing in Kashmir, has publicly refuted the prevailing negative narratives concerning Muslims and Kashmiris. In a widely shared video, Jadhav stated, “I am here on vacation, and Hindus and Muslims are helping each other.”  She further emphasised the unity she witnessed, urging people not to allow societal divisions, especially in the wake of the recent Pahalgam attack.

The video gained significant traction after being shared by prominent figures, including former BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali. His sharing of Puja Jadhav’s video further amplified her message, bringing it to a larger audience and challenging divisive rhetoric.

संदेश बहुत साफ़ है !!

हिंदू पर्यटक पूजा जाधव कह रही हैं कि भारतीय मुसलमानों और कश्मीरियों के खिलाफ़ जो बयानबाजी की जा रही है, वह गलत है।

“मैं यहाँ छुट्टी पर हूँ, हिंदू-मुस्लिम एक दूसरे की मदद कर रहे हैं। पहलगाम के बाद समाज को किसी भी कीमत पर विभाजित नहीं किया जाना चाहिए” pic.twitter.com/EJAP9hvmyp

— Kunwar Danish Ali (@KDanishAli) April 23, 2025

Candlelight vigil for terror victims by local Kashmiri residents

On the evening of April 22, the day of the terror attack itself, residents of Kashmir came together to hold a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. The gathering reflected the community’s deep sorrow and strong condemnation of the cowardly act of violence.

Carrying banners and raising their voices, people demanded justice and an end to terrorism. The vigil highlighted the growing resolve among Kashmiris to stand against violence and support peace in the region. Local residents made it clear that terrorism has no place in their society.

VIDEO | J&K: Locals of Pahalgam hold candle march for terror attack victims demanding justice.

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/F19rAK7tFf

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 22, 2025

The march served as a collective cry for justice, with participants vociferously demanding accountability for the perpetrators of these heinous acts. Banners and slogans echoed a singular message: an end to violence and the restoration of lasting peace in Kashmir. The community’s resolute stand underscores a deep-seated longing for security and a future free from the constant threat of terrorism, sending a clear message to authorities to expedite justice and ensure such tragedies are never repeated.

After about 100 people got into trouble local Adil Bhai supported us: tourist from Pune in Pahalgam

Another tourist from Pune, when in Pahalgam, shared her moving experience, vouching for the deep-rooted Hindu-Muslim unity in the region.

“After about 100 people got into trouble, local Adilbhai supported us, gave shelter, and arranged food for everyone” she recalled with gratitude.

Breaking
Another tourist from Pune in Pahalgam tells her story vouches for Hindu Muslim unity.

“ After about 100 people got into trouble local Adilbhai supported us, gave shelter and arranged food for everyone…”

When Hindus are in trouble, Muslims are rushing to help.… pic.twitter.com/W8IOtw6ccR

— Priyamwada (@PriaINC) April 23, 2025

Adil, a local cab driver, emerged as a beacon of hope in a time of crisis. He welcomed a family from Maharashtra into his own home, offering them not just food and shelter, but a sense of security in a moment of fear and uncertainty. His actions spoke louder than any slogan or headline—acts of kindness that transcended religion and reminded everyone of our shared humanity.

“When Hindus are in trouble, Muslims are rushing to help,” she added, reflecting on the unity she witnessed first hand.

Adil himself humbly said, “One person made a mistake, but the whole of Kashmir will suffer the consequences. We do not support this. This is a murder of entire humanity.”

In a time when tensions threaten to divide, voices like Adil’s—and actions like his—stand as powerful reminders that the spirit of brotherhood is alive and well in Kashmir.

Kashmiri families open hearts & homes to tourist after Pahalgam attack

Similarly, many stories of fear and resilience surfaced—but some, like this one, reveal how moments of terror gave way to powerful human connection.

Rupali Patil, a tourist from Pune, shared how unsettling it was when the news first broke. “I was afraid to even step out of my hotel room,” she admitted. “But amid the chaos and confusion, I and many others found comfort in the homes of Kashmiris who took it upon themselves to protect us. Some even went out of their way to bring back people from our group who were stranded in other areas” as reported Times of India

Public figures have also recognised the overwhelming response of local Kashmiris in aiding victims. TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posted on X (formerly Twitter) and said that “At every stage during and after the Pahalgam terror attack, Kashmiris have rushed to help victims and families. A pony operator died trying to save others, Kashmiri families offered their homes, and many helped tourists flee the spot. The people of Kashmir are an integral part of our large Indian family. Terrorists want to drive us apart and spark anti-Kashmiri fury. We must not aid them in their evil agenda.”

At every stage during and after #PahalgamTerrorAttack Kashmiris have rushed to help victims & families. A pony operator died trying to save others, Kashmiri families offered their homes, Kashmiris helped families flee the spot. The people of Kashmir are an integral part of our… pic.twitter.com/i0xADivTdT

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) April 25, 2025

After the attack: a unified voice from Kashmir

In the aftermath of the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a powerful and unified voice rose from the heart of Kashmir. It wasn’t just about grief—it was about solidarity, resilience, and a reaffirmation of the values that truly define the region.

“This is what Kashmiris themselves said after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam,” one observer noted. Locals gathered, visibly shaken but united, and their words echoed far beyond the valley.

“Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian are brothers,” they declared with conviction—a reminder that communal harmony is not just a slogan here, but a lived reality, rooted in everyday relationships and shared experiences.

This is what Kashmiris themselves said after the terrorists attack in Pahalgam

They said
” Hindu Muslim Sikh Christians are Brothers ”

” We are Indians , India is ours ” ..
pic.twitter.com/ebEZD1j1OT

— Aryan Singh (@Call_mearyan) April 27, 2025

We are one, we stand united against terrorism: Kashmiris take a stand against terror

In yet another powerful display of unity and courage, local Kashmiri Muslims in Anantnag raised their voices loudly against the Pahalgam terror attack. Taking to the streets, they held a strong and heartfelt protest against terrorism, rejecting violence in all its forms.

ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ !

अनंतनाग के स्थानीय कश्मीरी मुसलमानों ने पहलगाम हमले के खिलाफ़ उठाई आवाज़ – सड़कों पर उतरे, आतंकवाद के खिलाफ़ किया ज़बरदस्त प्रदर्शन !

यह है असली भारत – जहाँ धर्म नहीं, इंसानियत सबसे बड़ी पहचान है !

संघियों को ये तस्वीरें पसंद नहीं आएंगी,
गोदी मीडिया इसे… pic.twitter.com/BtEYTsSpa1

— Surbhi Maradiya (@SurabhiMaradiya) April 25, 2025

This is the real India—where religion does not divide, and humanity remains the highest identity.

These images may not sit well with certain ideological groups, and mainstream media might choose to ignore them—but the truth on the ground speaks louder than any narrative.

However, despite the divisive narratives that followed, the local Kashmiri community stood firm in its commitment to peace, love, and hospitality. Individuals like Sajad Bhat, who risked his life to save tourists, and interfaith heroes like Pardeep Sharma exemplified the region’s enduring spirit of solidarity, transcending religious and political differences. The stories of local residents offering shelter, care, and support to tourists in distress demonstrated that the true essence of Kashmir lies not in the headlines, but in the human connections that thrive in moments of crisis. As the people of Kashmir continue to unite against terror and hatred, they remind us that humanity and peace must always prevail, regardless of the forces that seek to divide.

Related:

Everyday Harmony: Kashmiri Pandits welcome back Hajis with Na’at recital

Unity over Division: Banke Bihari Temple stands firm against boycott of Muslim artisans

India’s Eid: rose petals & inter-faith unity shared joy paint India’s heart-warming harmony across the country

The post Pahalgam Attack: Kashmir unites in heroic resilience amid terror attack, proving humanity’s strength against hate narrative appeared first on SabrangIndia.

All references to Delhi Sultanate and Mughal rulers have been deleted from the S^tandard VII text book. In addition, in all other text books –wherever there are references to Muslim rule—has been deleted. What also stands deleted is the reference to Post-Mumbai (92-93 violence), post-Gujarat violence (2002), the references to Nathuram Godse being a trained pracharak of RSS, the ban on RSS in the aftermath of Gandhi murder (January 30, 1948),  among others. While the Kumbh Mela finds a place, deaths by stampede and other related tragedies like the Delhi station stampede have no place.

All this began during the Covid period when the pretext offered was reducing the burden on the students and followed by ‘rationalization’ which meant deletion of these portions which caused discomfort to the Hindu Nationalist ideology.

For the political purpose of demonisation of Muslims and spreading hate against them, Mughals have been presented as the  major villains in our history. Some earlier kings like Allauddin Khilji have also been on the hammer for the Hindutva narrative. Until now, the demonisation of Muslims was structured around the selective narrative of ‘temple destruction by Muslim kings’, propaganda which has been contested by rational historians. The spread of Islam by Muslims Kings using the sword was another part of this. This version is totally off the mark as conversions to Islam took place a century earlier, due to social interactions with Muslim Arab traders to begin with. In later years, many from the depressed castes embraced Islam to escape the tyranny of the caste system.

The ideology of Hindutva has gone to the extent of presenting this period as a dark period when a ‘Holocaust against Hindus’ took place. No doubt the era of Kingdoms is full of war for political reasons. Kings always wanted to expand their regime and in the process many people were killed. To call it holocaust is totally off the mark. Their (Hindutva) narrative actually takes off from the Communal Historiography introduced by the British to pursue the policy of ‘divide and rule’. In this; all the motives of Kings are related to religion and kings are presented as the symbol of the entire religious community.

Hindu communal historiography has taken this several steps further, by claiming that Muslims and Christians were ‘foreigners’ who have tormented Hindus. Muslim communal historiography presented the other side of the coin where Muslims are portrayed as perpetual rulers and Hindus as subjugated subjects. This presents Muslims as the logical rulers of this land.

The later trajectory of this logic did assist the British to divide our composite land into India and Pakistan. Savarkar articulated that there are two nations in this country, and Jinnah went on to demand a separate country for Muslims, Pakistan. Pakistan fell into the trap of Muslim communalism right from the word go and as far its textbooks are concerned they presented the beginning of Pakistan with Mohammad bin Kasim, only in the eighth century. Today their history books have totally deleted any reference to Hindu rulers. The hate which the Muslim communalism spread against the Hindus peaked with their school texts removing all the references to Hindu Kings and culture.

In a way India; during the last three decades has been walking on the footprints of Pakistan. The mirror image of Pakistan’s trajectory is being copied, down to the last comma. This point was highlighted by Pakistan’s poet Fahmida Riyaz. In the aftermath of Babri demolition she wrote “Arre Tum bhi Ham Jaise Nikale, Ab Tak Kahan Chhupe the bhai’ (Ohh! you have also turned out like us, where were you hiding so far).

Prior to Hindutva ideology coming to total control of Indian education, the RSS shakhas were spreading the communal version of society through multiple mechanisms like its Shakha bauddhis, Ekal Vidyalays, Shishu Mandirs. In due course mainstream media and social media also came to its service.

As such culture is a continuously evolving process. During the period of History under the hammer of Hindutva, serious social changes took place. Apart from the architecture, the food habits, dress and literature, the synthesis in the field of religion, the noble traditions of Bhakti and Sufi tradition developed. It was during this period that Sikhism came and flourished.

Now this political ideology may have to change the track. With Muslim rulers out of the way how will they demonise the Muslims now? Newer techniques may be on the way to substitute Aurangzeb or Babar; as now they will be defunct!

History is very central to the concept of Nationalism. Erich Fromm points out that ‘History is to Nationalism what poppy is to the opium addict’. Since BJP came to power as NDA in 1998, the major thing they did was what is called “saffronization of education”. Here history has been presented the narrative of glorious and brave Hindu Kings versus evil and aggressive Muslim kings. The charge has been that so far History has been written by Left Historians, who focused on Delhi rulers and who were pro Muslim. The point is that text books did present the details of particular dynasties depending on the historical length of their rule.

The history books in the decades of 1980s had a good deal of presentation of Hindu as well as Muslim kings. The narration was not revolving just around religion but the holistic view of communities was presented: trade, culture, literature among others.

Still it is true that ruler, ‘King centric history’ is not what we need to build our future. We need to focus on diverse sections of society, Dalits, women, adivasis and artisans who do not find much place in such narratives.

Related:

2025 NCERT Textbooks: Mughals, Delhi Sultanate out; ‘sacred geography’, Maha Kumbh in

Mughals Won’t Disappear From History Just Because Sangh Wishes so: Irfan Habib

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On the Buddha Purnima Day, May 12, 2025, Bihar governor, Arif Mohammad Khan visited the holy shrine, waxed eloquent about the greatness of Buddha but remained silent on the issue of the MahaBodhi Vihar being handed over to a Buddhist only management. Buddhist activists have also accused the governor of offering archana to Lord Shiva too, ignoring the sentiments of the Buddhists. Shockingly, while speaking “highly” of Buddha at an event, the governor did not even acknowledge that Buddhists have been protesting through a sit-in –for over two months —asking for a change in the BodhGaya Temple Management Committee.

Prior to Buddha Purnima day, there was a continuous dharana at the site and Buddhists particularly from Maharashtra were thronging the site. Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar too visited and expressed his strong solidarity with the movement. BSP leader Ms Mayawati too expressed her solidarity with the movement though she has not yet travelled to Bodh Gaya. Except for these two leaders, no other leader of any recognised party has spoken about it. RJD which is the main opposition party in Bihar has been conspicuously silent on the question. PDA leader Akhilesh Yadav and his party have not bothered to address Buddhist concerns. Rahul Gandhi, the eloquent Leader of the Opposition (LoP in the Lok Sabha) who has made several visits to Bihar and even raised the issue of Dalit opporession has not uttered a word about the Mahabodhi Temple issue. Incidentally, there were prompt greetings to one and all on social media on Buddha Purnima day, but around the MahaBodhi Vihar there has been only silence.

None of the legacy media, newspapers or electronic media –with the exception of some Youtubers and Ambedkarite portals —have interrogated the festering issue. Instead,  reports have come in only from activist cadres and some leaders from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. There is a clash of political ideologies here too and that is natural. For millions of Dalits in India, the road to Buddhism goes via Baba Saheb Ambedkar while for a number of Buddhists in the Himalayan regions like Ladakh, Darjeeling, Himachal or Uttar Pradesh, Buddhism may not have the same political connotation as for the Ambedkarites who look upon it like a liberation theology. That contradiction seems to be emerging here too. Unfortunately therefore a blame game too has begun.

Read: Why the Bodh Gaya temple must be handed over to Buddhists

There was a call for a large gathering at Gaya on Buddha Purnima Day. However, it seems, that except for some dedicated Buddhists from Maharashtra and many from Uttar Pradesh, there was not a significant gathering here. To date, one Akash Lama has been leading the ‘non-political movement’ but suddenly he announced the suspension of the Dharana on Buddha Purnima day resulting in public accusations of his conniving with RSS and the NDA government. It is at this point of time another mendicant, Bhante Vinaya Acharya who seems to have questioned this suspension of Dharna as well as the inactive movement and wanted to launch a bigger movement to liberate the holiest shrines of the Buddhists, has been missing suddenly from the night of May 12.  Unconfirmed reports suggest that he has been arrested by the police though there is no information about his whereabouts. It is also strange that Bhant’s arrest or disappearance has not found its way in the Bihar media. Not much is heard from the political class about him. So, nobody actually knows what is happening as there is not a single official line from among India’s Buddhists, either..

A video has gone viral in which a local vendor is heard responding with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to calls of ‘Jai Bhim’. Thereafter an altercation follows over why a non-Buddhist or anti Buddhist person has been allowed to be in the location of MahaBodhi Vihar. The issue of Maha Bodhi Vihar has suffered from the absence of enough local Buddhists living in Bodh Gaya. Despite all the sloganeering by national and regional opposition parties –espousing the politics of Pichda Dalit Adivasi (PDA) or the Bahujans – a vast majority of the Bahujan masses actually suffer from their own caste hierarchies. The sole thing that  unites them is the discrimination unleashed by Brahmanical forces. However, they have been unsuccessful so far in launching a movement that could eliminate Brahmanism from among themselves. Many intellectuals claim that it is a conspiracy to speak on these internal contradictions. The irony is that while a majority of the people, communities and castes that live in and around the Mahabodhi Vihar belong to Dalit Bahujan communities, the issue of independent Buddhist management  has not yet galvanised enough local support in a manner that could politically threaten the state government.

Leaders like Chirag Paswan or Jeetan Ram Manjhi have remained absolutely silent on the question. It is clear that the issue has not yet captured the emotion and sentiments of the local Bahujan masses which itself is a failure of its reach. Bihar’s social justice politics actually revolves around a class of agrarian-involved OBCs who have not been delinked from Brahmanical traditions. The cultural affiliation of communities like Dusadh as well as Charmkars too is heavily turned towards the rituals and practices which are often linked to Brahmanism. Unlike the Mahars in Maharashtra and Jatavs and Chamars in Uttar Pradesh, Dalits as well as OBCs in Bihar are culturally inclined to Brahmanical practices and rituals.

Even at the start, the Mahabodhi Mahavihara issue was not one raised by locals. It was the Sri Lankan Bhikkhu Anagarika Dharmapala who internationalised it. The Buddhist movement in India spread afresh among the masses only after Babasaheb Ambedkar revived this with his mass conversion, however, unfortunateky after his ‘Mahaparinirvana’, the movement remained confined to Maharashtra alone and thereafter spread only partly to Western Uttar Pradesh. The movement got revitalised after the ascendancy of BSP in power in the state when Ms Mayawati became chief minister of the state. She promoted Buddhism, created separate districts like Kushinagar, Mahamayanagar and  Panchsheel Nagar etc apart implementing some key policy measures.

However, the issue of Mahabodhi Mahavihara has always haunted the Buddhist community world over — why has their holiest shrine not been handed over to them for independent management. There is no dispute over the authenticity and historicity of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara but it is disturbing to see the deafening silence of all the major political players. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his foreign tours, speaks about Buddha and Buddhism as India’s cultural heritage but so far he has remained mute on the issue. Bihar government too has not spoken anything of it. The Ambedkarites are also pinning their hopes on the Chief Justice of India Justice B R Gavai but the fact is that the most important influencer in this regard can only be Prime Minister Narendra Modi apart from other Hindu organisations who should peacefully resolve this issue by handing over the Management of the BodhGaya Temple Management Committee to the Buddhists. While Hindu organisations have been seeking a positive response from Muslims in relation to all the religious places that they feel were originally ‘Hindu’ but were ‘demolished’ or appropriated as Mosques. The argument for Ayodhya Ram Temple movement was the same that Muslims should respect the sentiments of Hindus and hand over the temple to Hindus. The Supreme Court order in this regard was more to ‘honour’ the sentiments of Hindus rather than a judgement based on facts and constitutionality. The court used its own power in the good faith so that a political issue which should have been resolved long back, is now settled amicably. It is surprising why the same court cannot ask Hindus to respect the sentiments of Buddhists and ask the government to make due changes in the BodhGaya Temple Management Committee and hand it over to Buddhists. There is no dispute on its historicity and Buddhist background yet neither the court nor the political leaders have spoken about it.

For all political parties, any issue relates to the wider support and the linked political profit or loss in raising it. This is the only reason (motive) for a party with not much stake in Bihar –like the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi –is vocal while those in Bihar are silent only because of the absence of a popular local movement in its supports. Neither Lalu Yadav nor Chirag Paswan have spoken . Rahul Gandhi who has been vocal on the issues of Dalits as well as EBCs, has remained mute. He recently travelled to Darbhanga, addressed the SC students at the Ambedkar Hostel and later saw the film Phule with various activists, academics, students and politicians at a mall in Patna but did not utter a single word about the Buddhists demanding justice at Bodh Gaya.

This clearly indicates that for the political class, an issue only becomes important when it has the mass support. It seems locally there is no support for the movement in and around Bodh Gaya and a majority of the support that the issue has galvanised, is from outside. The Buddhist movement initiated by Baba Saheb Ambedkar has not reached diverse Dalit communities in India. Politically, all Bahujan parties do pay tribute to Lord Buddha and speak about Buddhism’s importance, but on the ground, their politics does not reflect the same commitment. Thirdly, even among the Dalits, it is mostly the Mahars and Jatavs who have embraced Buddhism and rest of the communities and leaders have not shown much inclination to it. For the OBCs, it does not concern much at the moment though exceptions are there but they are too small to impact the majority. Finally, there are also the cultural differences between the Buddhists from other regions and the Ambedkarite approach to it who have been aggressively speaking against the ‘Brahmanical’ onslaught on it. The non Ambedkarite Buddhists approach is through matured political dialogue with the government as it does not necessarily consider Hindus as adversary but for Ambedkarites Buddhists, aggressive critique of Brahmanism is the main theme of Buddhism. There are other issues of leadership of the movement too. People are missing Bhadant Nagarjun Surai Sasai who had once, , decades ago. Today, age has limited his political activism though he remains active in Maharashtra.

Two approaches can resolve the issue. One is if the Supreme Court takes note of it and gives direction to the Bihar government. Second, by Narendra Modi himself, who has been persistently using Buddhism as a symbol of India’s soft power, the world over. He participates in most Buddhist festivals and speaks greatly about Buddhism globally whenever he meets world leaders. Buddha is India’s biggest global influencer and one is sure that the government understands it. The government can call an all-party meeting and resolve the issue. This is not an issue which cannot  be resolved. Unlike Ayodhya, the issue is not really that of the origin and historicity of the temple but about its management which rightfully belongs to Buddhists.

Whether there are political movements or not, the government of India must take notice of this issue and provide a helping hand to the Bihar government, towards a resolution.

Buddha and Buddhism are India’s most powerful symbols of soft power. If the government has positive intent, it can resolve this issue peacefully and democratically. Will this, however, actually happen?

Related:

Bodh Gaya: Why the Mahabodhi Temple must be handed over to Buddhists

Religious Desecration: Who’s responsible for destruction of early Indian, Buddhist places of learning in Odisha?

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It was Krishna Kumar, the well-known educationist, who I believe first introduced me to the name — Gijubhai Badheka (1885–1939). Hailing from Bhavnagar, known as the cultural capital of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, Gijubhai, Kumar told me during my student days, made significant contributions to the field of pedagogy — something that hasn’t received much attention from India’s education mandarins. At that time, Kumar was my tutorial teacher at Kirorimal College, Delhi University.

When Kumar — who is said to have been the main mind behind Prof Yashpal’s seminal report “Learning Without Burden” — mentioned Gijubhai, I vaguely recalled my father, Jagubhai Shah, also referring to him as a great Gandhian educationist. As often happens in youth, I didn’t pay much attention to what my father said about him. I vaguely remember my father telling me he had been associated as an art teacher at Ghar Shala, or perhaps Dakshinamurti Balmandir, both founded by Gijubhai for his educational experiments.

My recent interest in Gijubhai, also known as “Mucchadi Maa” (mother with moustaches), stems from a contact I received from someone in Pune — of Mamata Pandya, my school classmate. I was told she is Gijubhai’s granddaughter and had created a site: https://gijubhaibadheka.in. After leaving school in 1970, I met her sometime in the early 1990s after I joined The Times of India, Ahmedabad, as assistant editor. It was at the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), where I had been invited to speak on media and the environment. I was told she had spent around 35 years at CEE.

This prompted me to recall two contrasting viewpoints on Gijubhai that exist in Gujarat today. One, a critical perspective, is from top Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, who had written a critique of Gijubhai objecting to his views on Dalits several years ago.

During a recent interaction with Macwan, I asked him specifically about his objections. He said that while Gijubhai’s contributions to pedagogy were unparalleled (“he used the Montessori method of teaching in Indian circumstances”), he suffered from the same casteist attitudes that plagued most Gandhians of his time.

“My article was published in the journal Naya Marg (now defunct), edited by the late Indubhai Jani,” he said, and went on to describe a story written by Gijubhai for children. “The story is about a princess who falls in love with what Gijubhai calls a bhangi. The term itself is derogatory. The boy wants to marry the princess.”

Macwan continued, “Her brother, the prince, lays down a condition: she can marry the boy if he wins a gambling game. The prince loses, and the princess marries the boy, who lives in a low-lying area inhabited by so-called untouchables. She is unhappy with the place. Seeing her distress, the king attacks the locality, destroys it, and ‘frees’ the princess. The story ends with the ruler’s family living happily ever after.”

“What message does this give, especially to young minds?” Macwan asked, adding, “Such views can be found in other stories by Gijubhai as well. I read many to understand his perspective.” A similar view, he said, is shared by Joseph Macwan, a well-known Gujarati litterateur, “who has also written critically about Gijubhai.”

Martin Macwan, Sukhdev Patel

 

He added, “And to those who say Gijubhai should be seen in the context of his times, I
want to remind them that the couple Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, also educationists and living a generation earlier (in the 19th century), strongly opposed untouchability and passionately advocated for Dalit and women’s rights in Maharashtra.”

The other viewpoint comes from Gujarat’s well-known child rights leader Sukhdev Patel, who once told me that branding Gijubhai as casteist “overlooks” his immense contribution to pedagogy. A look at Gijubhai’s work suggests that while he opposed social discrimination and advocated inclusive education, there are no direct quotes in which he explicitly denounces caste discrimination.

At the institutions he established in Bhavnagar, it is said that Gijubhai promoted the inclusion of marginalized groups, encouraged Dalits to join in, and facilitated education for all, regardless of caste. His educational philosophy was centred on child-centric learning, freedom, and respect — challenging the rigid and discriminatory norms of his time.

However, the farthest he went was to say things like: “Every child has the right to a quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances,” “Education is not a privilege; it’s a fundamental human right,” or “Children are not vessels to be filled with knowledge but lamps to be lit.”

Gijubhai also said, emphasizing the need for schools to adapt to children’s diverse needs: “It is not that they are unfit for the school. Rather, the school is unfit for them. The school is unable to teach them what they have the aptitude for.” He was, his defenders point out, critical of the conventional, exam-driven schooling system that treated children as passive recipients, and instead advocated activity-based learning, storytelling, music, and hands-on experiences — something Prof Yashpal’s report “Learning Without Burden” also emphasized.

It is precisely for this reason, it is pointed out, that Krishna Kumar, in a paper titled What is Worth Teaching?, laments: “We have failed to give Gijubhai the place he deserves in the national narrative of educational thought. His experiments in Bhavnagar were a far more radical challenge to colonial schooling than many better-known reform efforts.”

Courtesy: CounterView

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Taking this citizens’ monitoring several steps further, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has filed complaints against six mainstream Indian news channels, Aaj Tak, ABP News, Times Now Navbharat, NDTV, India TV, and News18 this week. The complaints detail three key instances of misinformation. Five channels – Aaj Tak, ABP News, Times Now Navbharat, NDTV, and India TV – broadcasted a four-year-old video of Israel’s Iron Dome, falsely presenting it as recent footage of Indian air defence systems in Jaisalmer. These channels claimed the footage showed India thwarting Pakistani aerial threats.

Separately, News18 falsely identified Maulana Qari Mohammad Iqbal, an Indian religious scholar and educator, as a Pakistani terrorist killed in an Indian airstrike. News18’s report, titled “India’s air strike Pakistan: Operation Sindoor,” claimed Iqbal was a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander. CJP’s complaint iterated that Iqbal was not a terrorist, claims that the unfortunate teacher’s family had stated on social media and even the Poonch police had clarified: Maulana Iqbal had died in cross-border shelling while adding relevant evidence in its complaint against the channels for its inaccurate broadcast.

Additionally, Aaj Tak broadcasted old footage of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, falsely claiming it showed Indian attacks on Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor”. CJP’s complaints highlight serious ethical breaches, including the use of misleading visuals, sensationalist commentary, and theatrical framing to manipulate public perception. CJP is demanding on-air corrections, public apologies, and the removal of the misleading content.

Fake War Footage: Old Israeli defence videos masqueraded as airstrikes in Jaisalmer

During a critical moment of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in May 2025, multiple mainstream Indian news channels — including Aaj Tak, ABP News, Times Now Navbharat, NDTV, and India TV — broadcasted a four-year-old video showing Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system. These visuals were falsely presented as recent, exclusive footage of Indian air defence systems thwarting Pakistani aerial threats in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

News channels misrepresent outdated foreign footage as breaking war coverage

Aaj Tak

On May 14, CJP filed a complaint with Aaj Tak regarding a misrepresented broadcast, as on May 9, Aaj Tak aired a show hosted by senior anchor Anjana Om Kashyap under the sensational title, “पाकिस्तान पर भारत पर भारत का चौतरफा हमला, Lahore-Karachi में भारी नुक़सान [India’s All-Around Attack on Pakistan, Heavy Losses in Lahore-Karachi].” Kashyap claimed the visuals depicted a Pakistani drone attack being repelled in Jaisalmer. The same footage was shown by anchor Shweta Singh, again framed as evidence of India’s successful defence.

Archived combat footage passed off as real-time strikes during ‘Operation Sindoor’: Aaj Tak uses Israeli airstrike footage to claim Indian attacks on Pakistan

Similarly, as reports of India’s military strikes under “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, 2025, began to surface, Aaj Tak broadcast visuals that allegedly showed seven Indian missiles being launched, claiming they were live visuals from Bahawalpur, Pakistan — a hub of terrorist activity. The footage was shared both on air and on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), captioned “ऑपरेशन सिंदूर | ऐसे ध्वस्त हुआ जैश का आतंकी अड्डा [Operation Sindoor | How the Jaish Terrorist Base Was Destroyed].”

ऑपरेशन सिंदूर | ऐसे ध्वस्त हुआ जैश का आतंकी अड्डा #OperationSindoor #Pakistan #IndianArmy #IndianAirforce #IndiaStrikesTerroristan #PahalgamTerrorAttack | @anjanaomkashyap pic.twitter.com/DxwLnhmDUr

— AajTak (@aajtak) May 7, 2025

However, reverse image searches revealed that these visuals were not recent, nor were they connected to any Indian military action. Instead, they were taken from a report by Sputnik Armenia published on October 13, 2023, depicting Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The original footage was also corroborated by the Israeli Air Force’s own records and shared on their official Facebook page.

Fact-checkers debunk false Media claims

Further confirmation came from multiple sources, including Al Mayadeen and BBC journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh, CJP’s complaint described this as not merely an error but a calculated attempt to dramatise the news cycle.  The same video resurfaced a few days later and was used by the media outlet Al Mayadeen in their video report on bombings in Gaza on October 23, 2023.

In doing so, the channel undermined public trust, misinformed citizens about the reality of ongoing military operations, and potentially destabilised diplomatic efforts through the spread of inflammatory, inaccurate content.

CJP in its complaint to Aaj Tak, also mentioned other social media accounts had also shared the identical video on October 13, 2023. Links to these X posts are available:

Heavy Israeli airstrikes continued in the Gaza Strip tonight. pic.twitter.com/nVG7x0qVv1

— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) October 12, 2023

Israel is currently carrying out a MASSIVE airstrike on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/yqi0zBzfue

— Censored Men (@CensoredMen) October 12, 2023

#IsraelPalestineConflict Israel Forces attack Gaza.https://t.co/kt7X1rLBKP #Israel #IsraelFightsBack #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack #Hamas_is_ISIS #Hamas #HamasMassacre #HamasTerrorism #HamasISIS #Palestine #PalestineUnderAttack #palastine #WestBank pic.twitter.com/6dMMGEXTxA

— People’s Eye (@eye_peoples) October 13, 2023

Gaza |

Intense bombings are now striking Gaza, causing significant tremors. In the past two hours alone, Israeli warplanes have claimed the lives of 40 Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/8PPTRry05k

— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) October 12, 2023

These broadcasts, as outlined in the CJP’s complaint to above channels, reflect systemic problems in how certain mainstream media outlets handle news during national crises. From falsifying battlefield footage to wrongfully branding civilians as terrorists, and recycling old foreign war clips as current Indian military action, the channels prioritised sensationalism over accuracy.

The complaint may be read here:

ABP News

On May 15, 2025, ABP News also faced CJP’s complaint with its May 8, 2025 bulletin titled “India Pakistan War Update: श्रीनगर और लुधियाना में ब्लैक आउट.” Through the broadcast, Anchor Chitra Tripathi and a field reporter stated unequivocally that a Pakistani drone strike had just been neutralised in Jaisalmer using Indian defence systems. ABP presented them with no disclaimers, context, or source attribution.

The channel presented the visuals, which bore a striking resemblance to Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system in action, as exclusive footage originating from Jaisalmer and depicting events that had occurred “a short while ago.” This purported visual evidence was displayed throughout a substantial portion of the broadcast, from the 00:01 to the 05:29 timestamp. Adding to the gravity of the claim, the anchor, Chitra Tripathi, explicitly stated that a “drone attack happened in Jaisalmer.”

Furthermore, the reporting included a correspondent who affirmed that “the Indian missiles/counter drone system destroyed the drone attack” [Time Stamp: 02:30 – 03:30]. By presenting unverified and, as later revealed, outdated footage as a real-time depiction of a critical security event in a sensitive border region, ABP News engaged in a serious act of misrepresentation and disseminated potentially inflammatory misinformation to its viewers. This broadcast had the potential to significantly shape public perception during a period of heightened national anxiety, CJP’s complaint mentioned

CJP mentioned in its complaint that “Despite this, ABP News aired the video as breaking and exclusive news footage, implicitly suggesting to viewers that Indian air defence forces had successfully repelled an actual Pakistani air attack. No disclaimers, source identification, or verification notes were presented either during or after the broadcast. The footage was shared with a tone of real-time urgency, further misleading the public into believing that an active military escalation was underway.”

The complaint may be read here:

Times Now Navbharat

On May 15, CJP filed a complaint with Times Now Navbharat for its May 9 broadcast, titled “#BharatPAKWarBREAKING: भारत-पाकिस्तान युद्ध पर अमेरिका का बयान- ‘हम भारत को नहीं रोक सकते’ [U.S. statement on the India-Pakistan war: ‘We cannot stop India].” CJP mentioned that the broadcast of India TV amplified similar claims, airing the same misleading visuals on May 9 under the tag “#BharatPAKWarBREAKING.” The channel claimed Pakistani strikes had been intercepted in Jaisalmer, echoing the others’ false narratives.

The complaint may be read here:

NDTV

On May 15, CJP filed a complaint with NDTV for its May 8 broadcast nearly identical visuals under the headline “India-Pakistan Tension: पाकिस्तान के खिलाफ भारत का जवाबी हमला शुरू.” Again, the footage was presented without context, implying a real-time military development.

The complaint may be read here:

India TV

On May 16, CJP filed a complaint with India TV over the broadcast of inaccurate and misleading visuals. CJP finds that the channel on May 9 falsely claimed that Pakistani drones were shot down in Ramgarh, Jaisalmer. while the channel did not explicitly state that the video footage was from Ramgarh, Jaisalmer, it was presented alongside a report alleging that Pakistani drones had been intercepted in the area— without any disclaimer or clarification.

This created a misleading impression that the visuals were authentic, recent, and directly related to the reported incident, particularly within the context of escalating India-Pakistan tensions. The lack of any on-screen disclaimer or contextual clarification further supported this illusion, making it appear as though viewers were witnessing real-time footage of Indian forces responding to a Pakistani attack.

Such tactics exploit the emotive power of visuals for sensational effect, prioritising ratings over responsibility. In a volatile geopolitical climate, this kind of reporting is not only ethically indefensible but socially dangerous. It undermines public trust in the media, distorts the reality of conflict, and risks escalating tensions based on manufactured impressions.

The complaint may be read here:

CJP flags intentional misinformation and potential public harm and panic

In its complaints to the channels, CJP detailed how the broadcasts misinformed and misled viewers by using dramatic, outdated footage to fabricate a false narrative of live military engagement. CJP asserted that this went beyond mere editorial oversight, constituting a serious ethical breach. The combination of misleading visuals, sensationalist commentary, and theatrical framing served to manipulate public perception and exploit viewers’ emotions amid a period of real geopolitical tension.

Original video was uploaded to YouTube channel named @NSFchannel on May 11, 2021

CJP in its complaint against six mainstream news channels, cited an investigation by independent fact-checking organisation Alt News, titled “Aaj Tak, NDTV, Times Now, News18 & others ran 4-yr-old video as aerial fight over Jaisalmer.“ The fact-check revealed that the video aired by these channels as supposed footage of India’s air defence system intercepting Pakistani aerial threats was originally uploaded to YouTube on May 11, 2021, by a channel named NSF Channel.

The original caption clearly identified the visuals as showing Israel’s Iron Dome in action. Despite this information being publicly available for years, the news channels misleadingly presented the clip during heightened India-Pakistan tensions in May 2025, risking public panic, misinformation, and further hostility.

While Alt News could not independently confirm that the footage showed the Iron Dome specifically, it conclusively established that the video was at least four years old and entirely unrelated to the 2025 conflict, making its use by the news channels a serious breach of journalistic integrity.

Misidentifying an Indian educator as a Pakistani terrorist: a dangerous act of defamation: News18 insensitively labels civilian death as terror elimination

On May 14 (2025), CJP also sent a formal complaint to News 18, as on May 7, 2025, News18 aired a segment titled “India’s air strike Pakistan: Operation Sindoor में मारा गया आतंकी Mohammad Iqbal |India Pak War,” claiming that a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander named Mohammad Iqbal had been killed in an Indian airstrike. This “most-wanted terrorist,” the report alleged, had been neutralised during “Operation Sindoor.”

Link for the contentious programme- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swmMklh41No

CJP’s submission in its complaint reiterated that in reality, Maulana Qari Mohammad Iqbal was not a terrorist but a religious scholar and educator from Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir. He taught at Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom and had no ties to any militant organisation. He tragically lost his life in cross-border shelling — not during an anti-terror operation — contrary to what several media outlets falsely reported.

According to the CJP complaint, independent fact-checks and official confirmations, including from the district police, have unequivocally established that he had no links to militancy. Media platforms misappropriated his identity, even using an image originally posted in a condolence message by Jamia’s deputy administrator, Mr. Sayeed Ahmed Habib. His grieving family, including brother-in-law Ishaq Khayan and brother Qari Mohammad Farookh, have condemned the coverage as defamatory and deeply distressing.

In its complaints, CJP cited the Alt News fact-check published on May 10, 2025, titled “His name was Qari Mohammad Iqbal. He was not a terrorist.” In response to the misinformation, CJP has added the case to its complaint against the circulation of fake news and communal profiling by certain media houses.

Facts vs Fabrication: Media’s reckless misreporting exposed

CJP’s complaint to channels included findings from various independent fact-checkers and official confirmations that debunked News18’s claim. Local police authorities, his family, and his colleagues confirmed that Qari Iqbal was not involved in any unlawful activities. The image used by the channel was originally part of a condolence message from a colleague, Sayeed Ahmed Habib.

In an official statement, Jamia Zia Ul Uloom, the institution where Iqbal worked, called the portrayal “shameful” and “deeply regrettable.” They demanded a public apology from the channels that misreported the story and warned of legal action if no corrective steps were taken.

Family demands strict action against those spreading misinformation

Qari Mohammad Iqbal’s family has demanded strict action against those spreading misinformation.

“We were already in mourning, and now this false narrative has added to our pain. Sections of the ‘Godi media’ are falsely labeling him as a Pakistani terrorist, which is absolutely baseless. We strongly condemn this defamation and appeal to the District Collector (DC Saab) to take immediate and appropriate action,” the family stated.

Qari Iqbal Mohammad’s family demands action against ‘Godi media’ for falsely labelling him a Pakistani terrorist.

They claimed that he was killed in Indian airstrikes in Pakistan.

Fact: He was killed in Pakistani shelling in Poonch. pic.twitter.com/cXpD2RYXaQ

— Alishan Jafri (@alishan_jafri) May 8, 2025

Maulana Mohd Iqbal had no terror links: district Poonch police

In response to misinformation circulating on social media and certain digital platforms, Poonch Police, through its official X handle, issued a clear and firm statement addressing the matter.

“Poonch Police refutes fake news circulating about the death of Maulana Mohd Iqbal in cross-border shelling. He had no terror links. Misreporting causes panic and legal action will follow against those spreading misinformation,” the post read.

Poonch Police refutes fake news circulating about the death of Maulana Mohd Iqbal in cross-border shelling. He had no terror links. Misreporting causes panic and Legal action will follow against those spreading misinformation. @JmuKmrPolice @ZPHQJammu @digrprange

— DISTRICT POLICE POONCH (@Poonch_Police) May 8, 2025

The clarification comes amid a surge in unverified reports alleging that Maulana Mohd Iqbal, a respected local religious figure, was killed in cross-border shelling and had affiliations with terror groups — both claims now officially denied.

The incident reveals a disturbing tendency in segments of the news channels, the urge to capitalise on conflict by rushing to label civilians as enemies. This not only violates journalistic ethics but inflicts real harm on grieving families and distorts the facts on the ground, CJP strongly argued in its complaints

Violations of NBDSA Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards

Violation of Fundamental Principles

The complaints submitted by CJP highlights multiple violations of the NBDSA’s Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards by Aaj Tak, ABP News, NDTV, India TV, Times Now Navbharat, and News18. Citing Section 1 – Fundamental Principles of the Code, the complaints underscore that professional electronic journalists are obligated to act as trustees of public interest, and to “seek the truth and report it fairly with integrity and independence.” This obligation includes ensuring the dissemination of verified and accurate information, enabling the public to form their own opinions based on facts, and being accountable to the citizenry by not misleading them, especially during sensitive national moments.

However, it was found that in the broadcasts aired by the aforementioned channels, a video of unverified origin—purportedly showing a Pakistani air attack foiled in Jaisalmer—was broadcast without authentication. In doing so, the channels compromised accuracy by failing to verify the origin or authenticity of the footage prior to airing, thereby misleading audiences and violating the ethical foundations of journalism meant to serve the public interest.

The complaints noted that this constituted a betrayal of the media’s role as a platform for truthful and balanced information, and described it as a grave dereliction of professional responsibility, particularly during a conflict scenario where misinformation can easily shape public perception, trigger mass fear, or escalate geopolitical tensions.

Breach of Principles of Self-Regulation and National Security

Further, under Section 2 – Principles of Self-Regulation, it was found that the broadcasters violated norms concerning impartiality, objectivity, and neutrality. The complaints emphasised that while 24-hour news channels are expected to operate with speed, accuracy and balance must take precedence. In the May 9, 2025 broadcast, the channels reportedly prioritised sensationalism over verified information. The use of inaccurate and outdated footage as alleged real-time visuals demonstrated a reckless disregard for factual accuracy and ethical broadcasting standards. No clarifications or corrective statements were issued, thereby compounding the breach of accountability.

Additionally, the complaint raised concerns under the guidelines on reporting crime and violence, stating that the channels aired visuals originally depicting Israeli military operations while falsely presenting them as Indian actions.

This misrepresentation glorified violent retaliation and military aggression, and the use of graphic imagery combined with a triumphant tone amounted to glamorisation of cross-border violence, potentially inciting emotional and nationalistic fervour among viewers. The complaints also stated that the portrayal of a foreign missile defence system as an Indian military success misled the public and desensitised audiences to the real dangers of armed conflict by falsely boosting perceptions of India’s defence capabilities.

Moreover, CJP’s complaints cited violations related to national security, noting that the dissemination of false information during an already volatile military situation between India and Pakistan risked endangering operational confidentiality and public safety. By misreporting the scale and location of military operations and falsely broadcasting visuals of active air defence systems, the channels undermined diplomatic efforts and national security interests.

CJP concluded that such actions had the potential to mislead international observers, escalate bilateral tensions, and severely compromise journalistic responsibility in moments of national significance.

Violation of government advisories

This coverage is also in direct violation of multiple advisories issued by government authorities

including the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting:

“Advisory on live/real-time coverage of defence operations (MIB Advisory dated April 25, 2025): All media channels, digital platforms and individuals are advised to refrain from live coverage or real-time reporting of defence operations and movement of security forces. Disclosure of such sensitive or source-based information may jeopardise operational effectiveness.”

The news channels, in their rush to report “military actions,” irresponsibly broadcasted speculative and unverified visuals during prime-time programming, falsely portraying old footage from a different conflict zone as evidence of India’s military strikes over Pakistan’s drone. This not only misled the public but also potentially compromised operational and national security.

Advisory to counter disinformation during sensitive times

CJP stated that, through social media platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had urged citizens to, in sensitive times like these, be wary of disinformation being spread on social media. The advisory emphasised verifying any piece of news, image, or video before sharing or forwarding.

The broadcast in question blatantly disregarded this advisory by airing unverified and repurposed footage — originally the Iron Dome from 2021 — and falsely presenting as authentic visuals from an ongoing India-Pakistan conflict. This constitutes a serious breach of ethical responsibility, especially during heightened national tension.

In sensitive times like these, it is necessary to be wary of disinformation being spread on social media.

Always verify any piece of news, image, or video before you forward.

If you come across suspicious or misleading content, report it to @PIBFactCheck #FactCheck… pic.twitter.com/UBNCdvy5gB

— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) May 9, 2025

CJP highlights potential consequences of irresponsible coverage

The recent use of misleading and outdated footage by major news channels such as AAJ Tak, India TV, Times Now Navbharat, NDTV, ABP News, and News18 constitutes a serious violation of journalistic ethics and regulatory standards. These channels have relied on three key forms of misinformation: the airing of old Israeli defence videos passed off as Indian airstrikes, the wrongful identification of an Indian educator as a Pakistani terrorist, and the misrepresentation of archived combat footage as real-time military operations during ‘Operation Sindoor’. These missteps form the basis of six core complaints:

1.  Fake War Footage: The channels aired outdated Israeli airstrike and iron dome videos, misidentifying them as Indian airstrikes in Jaisalmer, misleading the public during a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
2.  Dangerous Defamation: An Indian educator was falsely labelled as a Pakistani terrorist, a gross act of defamation that puts innocent lives at risk.
3.  Erroneous Terrorism Reporting: News 18 wrongly portrayed civilian deaths as the elimination of terrorists, perpetuating dangerous narratives and misinformation.

This type of misreporting is deeply concerning, as it not only escalates public panic but also influences national sentiment with falsehoods, contributing to a climate of fear and hostility. Senior journalists, who are typically trusted by the public for accurate reporting, further amplify the damage by failing to properly verify the footage. Basic checks, such as reverse image searches, could have easily identified the true origins of the material, but these were overlooked.

CJP asserted that, the consequences of such reckless coverage are severe. These actions risk destabilising regional diplomatic relations, undermine public trust in the media, and trivialise the suffering caused by real global conflicts. Given the responsibility of the media to inform the public with accuracy and fairness, especially during sensitive geopolitical moments, these channels have failed to uphold their duty, deepening scepticism toward legitimate news and paving the way for further disinformation. The channels must act promptly to remove these videos and issue a public apology, ensuring that only verified, factual content is broadcast during national crises.

CJP urged immediate action from all channels

In light of the serious violations outlined, CJP demands immediate corrective and restorative actions from the six channels involved — AAJ Tak, India TV, Times Now Navbharat, NDTV, ABP News, and News18:

• Corrigendum and on-air correction: Acknowledge and correct the false claims aired on the channels, through on-air corrections with equal prominence and visibility as the original segments. we must be scheduled to attract maximum viewer attention, and not relegated to off-peak timeslots.
• Public apology to viewers and affected communities: A formal, unconditional apology must be issued by the channels, both on-air and on all digital platforms, for the dissemination of false and misleading visuals and the resultant panic and misinformation caused.
• Immediate removal of the broadcast videos and related content from the channels must be permanently removed from all platforms, including YouTube and X, to prevent continued circulation of this misinformation

Over News18’s misreporting, CJP insists on a formal and unconditional apology. This apology must be prominently broadcast on-air and across all digital platforms, directly addressing the profound pain and defamation inflicted upon the family and the community of Poonch, CJP asked

Related:

Broadcasting Bias: CJP’s fight against hatred in Indian news

NBDSA cracks down on biased anchors: Orders content removal from Times Now Navbharat and Zee News based on CJP’s complaints

Holding power to account: CJP’s efforts to combat hate and polarisation

The post Apology and Accountability: CJP files complaint with six news channels for airing misleading war clips, false terror claims in ‘Operation Sindoor’ coverage appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Many have heralded this shift as a democratisation of media—a breaking down of the gatekeeping walls that allowed only a select few to shape the public narrative. Politicians now tweet their policy updates, address voters directly on YouTube, and make carefully curated appearances on influencer podcasts rather than press conferences. There’s even a growing belief that this new media, raw and seemingly more “authentic,” will shoulder the journalistic responsibility left vacant by legacy media.

But this belief deserves a pause, or at least a much cautious thought.

The truth is a large section of India’s new media creators are not journalists—nor do they claim to be. They are “content creators,” and that distinction matters. Of course, there are journalists on social media who are not solely content creators. Journalists like Ravish Kumar have been pushed out of the traditional media system and have found a way to do their journalistic content on social media. Channels like The Wire etc. produce news content with journalistic intent. This article is not about them. However, this article is about those creators on social media who engage with advertisers/sponsors and generate content including news content but do not call themselves journalists.

Take Samdish Bhatia, a widely popular YouTube figure known for intriguing and witty political interviews and videos of his travels across the country. He is articulate, progressive, and clearly influential. But even he does not identify as a journalist. He calls himself as a content creator. That is not a knock against him or his work. It is a recognition of the difference in mandate. Journalism, at its core, is about accountability—of those in power, of systems, of narratives. Content creation, however, is about engagement, reach, and often—neutrality that does not ruffle feathers. Truth be told, if people who call themselves journalists are not being held accountable as they should be, it is a rather hard task to hold social media content creators accountable.

And it is not just neutrality. Many of the most visible faces in the new Indian social media ecosystem are unabashedly capitalist and pro-market. Their discussions are less about the structural problems that plague India—such as homelessness, unemployment, agrarian distress—and more about how to “capitalize” on these contexts. So, while homelessness continues to plague millions, the conversations in popular podcasts revolve around real estate  as an investment opportunity. Instead of interrogating inequality, there are video essays on personal finance, sponsored by a company or two.

This tone fits comfortably within the vision of a country aspiring to produce unicorn start-ups and billion-dollar tech moguls. Indeed, some of these billionaires have now become social media personalities themselves. Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, is a case in point. With little precedent, he was granted a rare, exclusive interview-podcast with the Prime Minister of India ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections—a privilege rarely extended to even the editors of major TV news channels. Given Mr. Kamath’s power as a billionaire himself, he also did interviews with personalities such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, New Zealand Prime Minster Christopher Luxon and Industrialist Kumar Birla.

One must ask: when billionaires with government proximity become the popular voices of public discourse on social media, are we truly breaking away from “Godi Media,” or are we just replacing it with a new, glossier version that’s algorithmically friendlier and better branded? More importantly, will this new media ask the questions that the traditional media was supposed to ask or even attempt at creating ‘content’ around the issues?

Take Mr. Modi’s interview with Mr. Kamath for example. While discussing ideologies and idealism, Mr. Modi mentions Mahatma Gandhi and Savarkar in the same breath to remark that both had the same ideal of freedom with different paths. In an ideal world, this would have been met with another question about Savarkar’s credentials as a freedom fighter par Gandhi, or at least with a remark. What we get is Mr. Kamath continuing with next question as to what to do when someone trolls and how to develop a thick skin?

Or take another question about politics and money. The data on electoral bonds came out in 2024 but Mr. Kamath could not ask the question, at least on what Mr. Modi thinks of electoral bonds. Instead, he asks about how to facilitate youth entering politics given the huge amounts of money it takes to be in politics!

There’s also another curious and worrying trend: prominent intellectuals and creators within these spaces who align with the ruling ideology often criticize the opposition or even level attacks against dissenters with unchecked impunity. An advocate, who is one of the most popular voices on social media, aligned with the views of ruling establishment  was asked on ‘The Ranveer Show’— “3 Indians that should leave India and never return are?” and the advocate said the names of news presenter Barkha Dutt, Professors Irfan Habib and Romila Thapar. The show’s host was the news cycle’s recent villain Ranveer Allahbadia. To keep up with the illusion of a critical and engaging podcast, the host asks “Why?” only to have the advocate say that these three have harmed Indian interests in their own ways and that they have done grave injustice to facts, truths and integrity. In the interest of critical engagement, one would expect the host to ask “How?” but he comfortably moves on to the next question.

This tells us two things. One, it was a bizarre question tailored to get a certain provocative answer. Two, it was not asked to critically engage with it. It was merely done to be performative

The bar for evidence is low. The responsibility to inform is often secondary to the need to perform.

Ranveer Allahbadia and another content creator Raj Shamani were some of the selected content creators who were given the opportunities to do interviews with union ministers like S. Jai Shankar and Nitin Gadkari. They were also attendees—Raj Shamani being the creator to introduce Mr. Modi, Ranveer Allahbadia being the recipient of the Disruptor of the Year Award—at the National Creators Awards organised in March 2024, just before the 2024 General Elections. Raj Shamani also hosted Arvind Kejriwal for an interview before the Delhi Elections.

This is not an allegation of social media creators selling space on their platforms to the government. There is no indication as of now. However, it is an observation of how close they are willing to be with power and how that hampers their capacity to be neutral, and courageous enough to ask questions, engagingly sharp ones if not tough ones.

This is also not a personal attack on these individuals. Many of them are intelligent, talented, and operate in good faith. But collectively, they form a media ecosystem that is, for the most part, timid when it comes to holding power accountable. And that makes them complicit—not by intent, but by design.

There is an imminent need to resist the temptation to confuse visibility with credibility. Just because a YouTube video racks up a million views or is made by a Billionaire does not mean it is accountable. Just because an influencer is articulate does not mean they are committed to the truth. Just because the production is slick does not mean the content is rigorous.

Social media is not journalism. It can include journalism, but it is not structurally bound to its principles. And in a country like India, where power is both opaque and muscular, the distinction between the two is not just academic—it’s existential for democracy.
So yes, we should celebrate the diversity of voices that social media enables. But we should also be wary—especially of the ones that get a little too close to power. Especially the ones that never ask hard questions. Especially the ones that call themselves everything—except journalists.

(The author is part of the legal research team of the organisation)

Related:

BJP spreading sea of hatred on social media before Jharkhand elections, ECI mum – shocking facts revealed in research report

Bihar: How festival holidays become target of fake news

NBDSA acts on CJP’s complaint, directs News18 to take down fake news video about bombing in WB school

The post Treading Carefully: Illusion of Accountability in an age of social media content creation appeared first on SabrangIndia.

       “We have maintained our power in India by playing off one part against the other and we must continue to do so. Do all we can, therefore, to prevent all having a common feeling.”

In order to put this strategy in operation, White rulers in league with their Indian stooges floated the two-nation theory implying that Hindus and Muslims belonged to ‘two separate nations’. The birth of the two-nation theory was no accident, in fact, it was specifically created to help the British in creating a communal divide and fragmentize the Indian society on the basis of religions. This was because any lasting unity of Hindus and Muslims could prove to be the death knell of their rule.

One truth, never to be missed, about this Struggle is that it was jointly led by leaders like Nana Sahib, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Maulvi Ahmed Shah, Tantya Tope, Khan Bahadur Khan, Rani Laxmibai, Hazrat Mahal, Azimullah Khan and Ferozshah, a galaxy of revolutionaries who belonged to different faiths. It was a liberation struggle in which Maulvis, Pandits, granthis, zamindars, peasants, traders, lawyers, servants, women, students and people from different castes, creeds and regions rose in revolt against the dehumanised rule of the East India Company and even laid down their lives.

On the eve of 163rd anniversary of War of Independence we need to tell the present flag bearers of both Hindu-Muslim brand of communal politics that the revolutionary army which declared the Mughal King Bahadur Shah Zafar, a Muslim, India’s Independent ruler on May 11, 1857 comprised of more than seventy percent Hindu soldiers, all armed. These were Nana Sahib, Tantya Tope and Laxmibai, all Hindus, played vital role in making Zafar, Badshah; the King once again.

The contemporary documents of the period which are available even today are replete with instances, not confined to one particular area, in which Hindus and Muslims could be seen making supreme sacrifices unitedly. The War of Independence categorically presented one fundamental truth that Hindu-Muslim separatism or hatred between these two communities was not at all an issue.

Ayodhya

After independence Ayodhya emerged as a place which has caused deep schisms between sections of Hindus and Muslims. The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmbhoomi dispute has played significant role in creating an environment of violence and mistrust between the two largest religious communities of India. But in 1857, it was the same Ayodhya where Maulvis and Mahants and common Hindu-Muslims stood united against the British rule and kissed the hangman’s noose together. Maulana Ameer Ali was a famous Maulvi of Ayodhya and when Ayodhya’s well-known Hanuman Garhi’s (Hanuman Temple) priest Baba Ramcharan Das took the lead in organising the armed resistance to the British rule, Maulana also joined the revolutionary army. In one battle with the British and their stooges, both of them were captured and hanged together on a tamarind tree at the Kuber Teela (now in Faizabad Jail) in Ayodhya.

This region also produced two more great friends, belonging to different religions who made life hell for the British sponsored armies. Achchan Khan and Shambhu Prasad Shukla, who jointly led the army of Raja Devibaksh Singh in the district of Faizabad. Both of them were able to defeat the Firangee army in many battles. It was due to the treachery again that they were captured. In order to desist anyone from such companionships between Hindus and Muslims both these friends were publicly inflicted prolonged torture and their heads were cruelly filed off.

It is not difficult to understand that why the same Ayodhya where blood of both Hindus and Muslims flowed for liberating the motherland in 1857 later became a permanent source of friction between the two communities. The joint heritage of Ayodhya needed to be erased if British rule was to survive. This was meticulously contrived by the British rulers and their henchmen turning the heritage of communal unity at Ayodhya upside down. Not surprisingly, the RSS-BJP rulers are replicating the same now.

Rajasthan

Kota state (now in Rajasthan) was ruled by a Maharao subservient to the British. The leading courtier, Lala Jaidayal Bhatnagar, a great literary figure, when he found that Maharao was collaborating with the British, he joined hands with the army chief, Mehrab Khan and established a rebel government in the state. When Kota was captured by the British forces with the help of stooge neighbouring princes, they together continued fighting in the region till 1859. Betrayed by an informer both were hanged at Kota on September 17, 1860.

Haryana

Hansi town (now in Haryana) presents another heart-warming example of how Muslims and Jains fearlessly challenged the foreign rule and did not hesitate in sacrificing their lives together. In this town lived two close friends, Hukumchand Jain and Muneer Beg. They were known as literary giants with a love for mathematics. The revolutionary government of Bahadurshah Zafar chose them as advisors and appointed them as commanders in the region of west of Delhi. They led many successful military campaigns in the area but due to the treachery of the native rulers of Patiala, Nabha, Kapurthala, Kashmir and Pataudi were defeated in a crucial battle and captured. The British highly perturbed by this kind of unity decided to kill them in a most brutal manner. After hanging them on the same tree in Hansi on January 19, 1858, Hukumchand Jain was buried and Muneer Beg was cremated against the custom of their respective religions. The obvious purpose was to make fun of the unity of these two revolutionaries belonging to two different religions and display a hatred towards their comradeship. Another unspeakable crime committed by the British was that when Faqir Chand, 13 year old nephew of Hukamchand Jain protested to this treatment he too was hanged, although there was no sentence passed against him.

Central India

Jhansi: We all are familiar with Rani Laxmi Bai’s heroic resistance to the British rule and her death fighting the British forces at Gwalior. She was able to put up such a great resistance with the able aid of her Muslim commanders; Ghulam Ghouse Khan (chief of artillery), Khuda Bakhsh (chief of infantry) both of whom were martyred defending Jhansi fort on June 4, 1858. Even her personal bodyguard was a young Muslim lady, Munzar who laid down her life with Rani on June 18, 1858 at Kotah-ki-Sarai battle in Gwalior.

Malwa: Malwa region in the then Central Province (now Madhya Pradesh) was another war theatre where big and crucial battles were fought against the British. The joint command of Tatia Tope, Rao Saheb (Pandurang Sadashiv), Laxmi Bai, Ferozshah and Moulvi Fazal-ul- Haq, was able to mobilise a huge rebel army of 70-80 thousand fighters. This army won innumerable battles against the British. However, in the crucial battle at Ranod –when due to the treachery of stooge princes the revolutionary army led by Tatia Tope, Ferozeshah and Moulvi were encircled– Moulvi Fazal-ul- Haq stood as a rock in the way of advancing British troops. He with his 480 brave companions laid down their lives on December 17, 1858, but were able to save the main force which included Tatia Tope, Rao Saheb and Ferozshah. Saved thus by the supreme sacrifice by Moulvi Fazl Haq and his comrades, Tatia Tope continued to wage war against the British until the beginning of 1859.

Rohilkhand

Present day Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Badaun and Bijnor was the area which was a strong hold of revolutionaries from the start. Immediately after the announcement of an independent Indian government at Delhi on May 11, 1857, Khan Bahadur Khanwas appointed as the viceroy of Mughal emperor there. Khan soon after assuming charge appointed a committee of eight members consisting both Hindus and Muslims to conduct the affairs of the state, his deputy being Khushi Ram. This government forbade cow-slaughter in deference to the sentiments of local Hindus. Khan and Khushi Ram led troops defeated the British and their stooges in many battles but were defeated in a crucial battle at Bareilly. Both of them were hanged with hundreds of their followers outside old Kotwali on March 20, 1860.

Delhi

The revolutionary army was led by a joint command consisting of Mohammed Bakht Khan, Azimullah Khan, Sham Singh Dooga, Sirdhara Singh, Ghouse Mohammad, Hira Singh and a ‘Doabi Brahmin’. Contemporary British documents show that despite all their attempts to create communal divide in the ranks of revolutionary army and residents of Delhi, Indians stood as one. In order not to let the British spies succeed in creating communal conflict amongst Delhites, General Bakht Khan, C-in-C of the revolutionary army prohibited cow slaughter. What kind of communal amity existed in Delhi under siege can be further known by the fact that when a huge canon of Shahjahan’s times which was lying unused was taken out, repaired and made useable, before firing the first canon, in the presence of Bahadur Shah Zafar and other army officials, Hindu priests performed the Aarti, garlanded it and blessed it with Vedic hymns.

Hindu-Muslim unity during the First Indian War of Independence was not confined to one area or one section of the population. This unity pervaded the whole country at all stratum. It was a ground reality and a fact of life with which, but naturally, women too, did not remain untouched. In a small town, Thana Bhawan, situated in Muzaffarnagar district (now in western Uttar Pradesh) 11 brave women belonging to different religions and castes were hanged together or burnt alive for taking up arms against repressive British rule.

The names and heroic deeds of some of them are unrivalled. Asghari Begum, 45 years old, belonged to a well-to-do family and was burnt alive for organising rebellion in the area. Another revolutionary woman, 28-year old, Asha Devi, who belonged to a Hindu Gujar family was also hanged. Another martyred woman was young Bhagwati Devi, born into a Tyagi family of farmers who fought in many battles against Firangee rule. 24 year old, Habeeba, belonging to a Muslim Gujar family, fearlessly fought in many battles to liberate neighbouring areas from British tyranny. She was captured while resisting a British attack and was executed on the gallows in 1857. Another brave woman from this area was named Mam Kaur who belonged to a family of shepherdess and was hanged at the young age of 25 years. Bhaktawari another brave woman from the region too laid down her life fighting the British rulers.  Twenty-six year old, Umda was another gallant woman from this area, born into a Jat Muslim family who sacrificed her life resisting the British invasion. Raj Kaur born in 1833, hailed from a Sikh family and made the supreme sacrifice of fighting against the British in the Thana Bhawan area.

The degree of communal unity among the rebels can further be known by going through the Rebel Anthem of 1857, penned by Azimullah Khan. It was in Urdu and reads:

Hum haeniss ke malik, Hindoostan hamaaraa/Paak watan hae qaum kaa Jannat se bhee piyaaraa.

[We are its owners, it belongs to us. It is our holy land, lovelier than paradise.]

Yeh hamaari milkiat Hindoostan hamaaraa/iss kee roohaniyat se Roshan hae jug saaraa.

[It is our Hindustan, our owned. The whole world sparkles with its spiritualism.]

Kitnaa qadeem kitnaa naeem, sab duniyaa se niyaraa/kartee hae zarkhez jisse Gang-o-Juman kee dhaaraa.

[It is old as well as new, it is pleasant in the world. Ganga and Jamuna irrigates its lands.]

Oope rbarfeela parvat pehre-daar hamaaraa/Neeche sahil per bajta sagar kaa naqqaaraa.

[On top snow clad mountain guards us. On the lower end you can hear roaring of sea.]

Iss kee khanen ugal raheensona, heera, paaraa/iss kee shaan shaukat kaa duniyaa maen jaikaaraa.

[Its mines produce gold, diamond and lead. Its greatness is renowned throughout the world.]

Aayaa Firangee door se, essaa mantar maaraa/loota donon hathoon se piyaaraa watan hamaaraa.

[The British came from far away, played trick. Our dear land was looted with both hands.]

Aaj shahidon ne tumko, ahl-e-watan lal-kaaraa/Todo ghulamee kee zanjeeren barsao angaaraa.

[Martyrs are calling you, countrymen. Break shackles of slavery, spit fire.]

Hindoo-Mussalmaan-Sikh hamaaraa bhai piyaaraa-piyaaraa/yeh hae azaadi kaa jhanda isse salaam hamaaraa.

[Hindu-Muslim-Sikh are our dear brothers. This is the flag of independence, salute to it.]

Contemporary British narratives

William Russell, was sent by The Times, London as a war correspondent to cover the ‘Mutiny.’ In one of his reports dated, March 2, 1858, while underlining the unity among the ranks of rebel army he wrote:

“All the great chiefs of Oudh, Mussalman and Hindu, are there, and have sworn to fight for their young king, Birjeis Kuddr [sic], to the last. Their cavalry is numerous, the city is filled with people, the works are continually strengthened. All Oudh is in the hands of the enemy, and we only hold the ground we cover with our bayonets.”

Another senior British officer, Thomas Lowe who led British attacks on Jhansi, Kalpi and Kanpur admitted that,

“the infanticide Rajput, the bigoted Brahmin, the fanatic Mussalman, and the luxury loving, fat-paunched ambitious Maharattah [sic], they all joined together in the cause; the cow-killer and the cow-worshipper, the pig-hater and the pig-eater, the crier of Allah is God and Mohommed [sic] his prophet and the mumbler of the mysteries of Brahma.”

Fred Roberts (became the Commander- in-Chief of the British armed forces in India later) was one of the leading British military commanders who led the British army to recapture Lucknow. In one of his letters, from the Lucknow front dated Nov 25, 1857, while rejoicing victory on that day at Sikander Bagh, Lucknow could not miss out the fact that even in the face of death the rebel army consisting of both Hindus and Muslims did not lose heart and stayed glued to each other. When Fred entered the Sikander Bagh he found nearly 2000 rebels on the ground dead or dying.

“I never saw such a sight. They were literally in heaps, and when I went in were a heaving mass, some dead, but most wounded and unable to get up from the crush. How so many got crowded together I can’t understand. You had to walk over them to cross the court. They showed their hatred even while dying, cursed us and said: ‘if we could only stand, we would kill you.’”

Throughout the War of Independence every nook and corner of the country was replete with such instances of fearless fighters, supreme sacrifices and strong bond of unity amongst people belonging to different religions. Such glorious instances of unbreakable Hindu-Muslim unity did really happen 168 years back. This can be verified even today by a simple perusal of contemporary British archives, personal collections, diaries and narrations.

Given these realities of history, it is not difficult to understand why a divide between Hindus and Muslims was necessitated, who were instrumental in accomplishing it and who benefited out of this divide. The survival of the British Empire in India depended on the successful execution of this strategy of divide and rule.

The flag-bearers of the politics of two-nations in the past and communal politics today are the ones who helped the British to execute this evil design. We must not ignore the fact that communalism was a ploy of the British who feared the end of their Empire in India –if Hindus and Muslims continually stood united. On the eve of 168th anniversary of the great rebellion, we must rise to take pledge of never betraying the shared heritage and shared martyrdoms of the First Indian War of Independence and not let the RSS-BJP rulers of India undo it.

[All references and quotes presented in this article are based on contemporary documents.]

Link for some of S. Islam’s writings in English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and video interviews/debates:http://du-in.academia.edu/ShamsulIslam

Related:

1857 Martyr’s Families Die in Penury, British Stooges Comandeer Power

Mangal Pandey Martyrd Today, 159 Years Ago: 1857

The post Unity not Hate: Commemorating the 168th anniversary of 1857 War of Independence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Siddharth Varadarajan, founder of The Wire, has condemned the actions against his platform and Bhasin’s account. He called the blocking of the website and account a clear violation of press freedom in India. Varadarajan’s statement read:

“Dear readers of The Wire, in a clear violation of the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press, the Government of India has blocked access to thewire.in across India.”

Dear Readers of The Wire In a clear violation of the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press, the Government of India has blocked access to https://t.co/BCdnZhucBj across India. + pic.twitter.com/YO0TlQkVVL

— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) May 9, 2025

The Chennai Press Club has, in a strong statement condemned the blocking of both The Wire and Maktoob Media

The statement of the Chennai press club may be read below

Chief Minister Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, in strong words, condemned the action. “Silencing the media at a critical juncture undermines the spirit of democracy. I hope the Union government reconsiders and lifts the ban on @thewire_inLet not press freedom be strangled in the world’s largest democracy.

Silencing the media at a critical juncture undermines the spirit of democracy. I hope the Union government reconsiders and lifts the ban on @thewire_in.

Let not press freedom be strangled in the world’s largest democracy. https://t.co/qf1NyAyYTg

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 9, 2025

Comrade MA Baby, newly elected general secretary of the CPI (M) has strongly condemned the act of censorship in a tweet. “When media outlets that are continuously peddling fake news on #OperationSindoor are being allowed to run uninterrupted, credible news portals are being blocked. Such attacks on the freedom of the press are not acceptable, Baby wrote.

Strongly condemn the censorship of The Wire. When media outlets that are continuously peddling fake news on #OperationSindoor are being allowed to run uninterrupted, credible news portals are being blocked. Such attacks on the freedom of the press are not acceptable.@thewire_in https://t.co/hFc4MAqRUT

— M A Baby (@MABABYCPIM) May 9, 2025

Seema Chisty, editor at The Wire tweeted, “Why freedom of the Press matters to non-press janta is an essay. But briefly – because voices of the Press are canaries in the coalmine. What protects the Press in India is what protects the average citizen. Your allowing it to get gagged is allowing yourself to go down”

Why freedom of the Press matters to non-press janta is an essay.

But briefly – because voices of the Press are canaries in the coalmine.

What protects the Press in India is what protects the average citizen. Your allowing it to get gagged is allowing yourself to go down

— Seema Chishti (@seemay) May 9, 2025

Digipub Condemns Blocking of The Wire’s Website, CPI’s D. Raja Writes to Ashwini Vaishnaw

‘We urge the Ministry to act decisively against channels and platforms that promote communal hatred and spread falsehoods. Access must be restored to platforms which are responsible and act to maintain national unity.’

Following the government blocking users’ access to the website of The Wire, Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja has written to Union minister of information and broadcasting while digital news body Digipub has condemned the move.

The Wire has learnt that the block on its website is according to the orders of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Various internet service providers are saying multiple things.

Raja’s letter

In his letter to minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, D. Raja has highlighted how misinformation was allowed to run rampant during ‘Operation Sindoor’.

I, on behalf of the Communist Party of India, register my deep concern over the inflammatory and misleading content being aired by several television news channels following Operation Sindoor. While the nation stands united against terrorism, we are witnessing a dangerous trend where certain channels are communalising the issue, spreading unverified claims, and promoting war hysteria—without any official confirmation from the Government or Armed Forces.

Raja said that such coverage creates panic and fear. Here, he mentioned that responsible news portals like The Wire have been blocked, in contrast.

Such coverage not only undermines responsible journalism but also poses a direct threat to national cohesion. Warmongering and targeting of communities erode trust, create fear among citizens, and play into the hands of those who seek to destabilize the country. Public anxiety is being inflamed, not addressed. Even public broadcasters have echoed this irresponsible tone, failing the basic duty of informing people with accuracy and dignity. The Armed Forces themselves had to counter claims made by such news channels on many occasions. At the same time, access to responsible news portals like TheWire.in has been blocked.

Raja noted that the CPI rejected attempts to turn the tragedy of Pahalgam into a spectacle of hate and division. “Conflict must not become a tool to distract from facts or delegitimize fellow citizens. The cost of such narratives is paid by ordinary people in the form of insecurity, polarization, and long-term damage to the democratic fabric,” he wrote.

He urged for decisive communication from the government.

We urge the Ministry to act decisively against channels and platforms that promote communal hatred and spread falsehoods. Access must be restored to platforms which are responsible and act to maintain national unity. We also call for coordinated and periodic, fact-based briefings from your Ministry, in consultation with the ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, and External Affairs, to counter misinformation and provide the public with credible updates.

Raja added that it is rightly said that truth is the first casualty of war, but “today, truth is being sacrificed even before a war exists—buried under noise, prejudice, and sensationalism.”

The airwaves must not become battlegrounds of distortion when the nation needs calm and clarity. We hope this urgent and pressing matter concerning national unity in challenging times will find your immediate attention.

Digipub statement

DIGIPUB, a group of digital news websites of which The Wire is a member, said that it strongly condemns the blocking of The Wire’s website. It said:

DIGIPUB’s founding member The Wire has released a statement on Friday, May 9 stating that the access to their website has been blocked by some Internet Service Providers following government orders. One of the ISPs says the block has been done by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the IT Act, 2000.

If the Indian government has indeed blocked access to The Wire, then it is a blatant attack on press freedom. Silencing independent media doesn’t protect democracy-it weakens it.

The statement noted that this “is a critical time for the nation and such actions impede rational thinking. The urgency and horrors of battle cannot be used as an excuse to silence independent journalism.”

It added that a free media is the best antidote to misinformation and fake news and said:

“We demand the immediate reversal of such censorship, the orders for which have not even been made public. The Indian Government must uphold constitutional values of free speech and restore unrestricted access to independent media democracy cannot survive in silence.”

Related:

Targeting Press Freedom: The unexplained censorship of Vikatan and the erosion of free speech

EXCLUSIVE: Three independent Tamil channels win battle against censorship by MeitY-YouTube after 6 months of a gritty battle

India’s Censorship Hypocrisy: Ban on Santosh and promotion of Chhaava

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