'A piece of “breaking news” published by several media outlets on August 31 claimed that the Kerala police had booked 30 students of Kozhikode’s Silver Arts College for waving a Pakistani flag during the campaign for college elections. The anchor on Times Now channel (which reported that 25 students had been booked) said that the Bharatiya Janata Party had protested against the incident. She went on to question the channel’s correspondent, “Yes, Vivek, could you give us details about what really happened because we can see the visuals of a massive Pakistani flag being raised?”...
'When the history of India’s sordid new chapter in Kashmir is written, let it be noted that it all began with lies. To be sure, it will never be clear whether the ‘intelligence inputs’ warning of a ‘major terrorist threat’ was in itself a lie. What is clear in hindsight, though, is that it was used for systematic deception. When the government told the public that this terrorist threat was the reason for the massive troop surge, that was almost certainly a deception.
'The landmark 1969 musical, director Richard Attenborough’s debut film – a satire on the First World War, and on war and war – has even the Dalai Lama blessing the war effort in the early part of the epic comedy, so pious seems the project, so plainly just. In India, the storyline has not been dissimilar. The messianic effort by the ruling establishment that has gone into underlining the justness of the cause and the absolute necessity of the Balakot airstrikes – in weeks before a national election – has had many mesmerised...'
'Launch a ‘masterstroke’ of questionable effectiveness, make exaggerated claims and then attack those who question your claims as being ‘anti-India’... It was fascinating to view the wave of public approval that greeted the government following India’s airstrikes on Balakot. Celebrities vied with each other in extolling the move. Social media erupted in frenzied jubilation. The media eulogised the firm and decisive nature of the prime minister. Wild claims were floated in the media based on anonymous sources and ‘educated guesses’.
'What really happened at the not-at-all-secret meeting with former Pakistani officials at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house...Here is a list of falsehoods that Modi has been relentlessly propagating. First, as almost everyone who attended the dinner (including this writer) has emphasised, there was nothing secret about the meeting. The invitations were not sent on WhatsApp, Express VPN, Viber or any other encrypted messaging system, but on ordinary Gmail. The first invitations were sent out almost a month earlier and were followed up by Aiyar’s office.
'Film star Aamir Khan found himself at the centre of a raging controversy on the issue of tolerance on Tuesday with saffron parties attacking him for stoking “fear” and telling him to “go to Pakistan” if he felt insecure in the country... “He was a celebrated actor till now. But now it seems that we handed over milk to a snake. If he does not want to stay here, he can go to Pakistan,” Maharashtra Environment Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam said.
'A Shiv Sena minister in BJP-led Maharashtra government has said actor Aamir Khan "can go to Pakistan" if he didn't love India and that people such as Aamir, Shah Rukh and Dilip Kumar were like "snakes", considering their statements... "From Dilip Kumar to Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir, we gave everyone of them a lot of love. However, the statements coming from them make us feel as if we have nurtured snakes," said Mr Kadam...'
'Assam Governor P B Acharya was caught in another controversy on Sunday as he said that Indian Muslims are free to go anywhere, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. His remark came a day after he was reported to have said that “Hindustan is for Hindus”. As his reported statement — quoted by a section of the local media — came under fire, Acharya held a press conference on Sunday, where he claimed that he had been misquoted. However, he stirred a fresh row, with his response to a question on Indian Muslims who face persecution. “They (Indian Muslims) are free to go anywhere.
'Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party MP Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday compared Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan with Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of Mumbai carnage, over his “extreme intolerance” comment. This is the second attack on the actor by a BJP leader in as many days, sparking condemnation. Hitting out at the actor two days after he added his voice to the protest by the intelligentsia against the ’climate of intolerance’, Mr. Adityanath also suggested that he go to Pakistan. Mr.
'Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad should "go to Pakistan", Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Ashwani Kumar Choubey said on Wednesday. "Lalu and Nitish Kumar should go to Pakistan after Bihar assembly polls outcome on November 8," Mr Choubey said in Patna. His comment follows a controversial statement by his party colleague Giriraj Singh who said: "Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad want to make Bihar a Pakistan." Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had said that if his party lost the Bihar assembly elections, firecrackers will be burst in Pakistan...'
