News Desk
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha, along with senior journalists, has slammed Indian news channels, calling them a ‘joke’ and urging them to stop fueling chaos and fear through sensationalist coverage and fake news.
In a blunt statement, Sinha questioned the purpose behind the media’s loud and aggressive reporting. “What do they hope to achieve by shouting all day long? For God’s sake, stop creating panic and spreading confusion among people,” she said. Her remarks came in the wake of Indian news channels broadcasting false claims about airstrikes on major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar.
The reports, widely circulated across TV and social media, were quickly dismissed by Pakistani authorities as baseless propaganda. Indian citizens, too, took to social media to express their anger and embarrassment. Many accused the media of becoming a marketplace of lies and called for stricter accountability. “The media has become a national disgrace, trampling over journalistic ethics. Why are such people not brought before the law?” one user wrote.
Senior Indian journalists also joined the criticism. Veteran anchor Rajdeep Sardesai reminded viewers, “Journalism is not about war-mongering. It is not about turning fiction into fact.” Siddharth Varadarajan, another respected voice in Indian media, said that many of the reports aired were not just false but “highly inflammatory.”
Award-winning journalist Ravish Kumar, known for his critical take on the Indian media landscape, accused mainstream outlets of burying the truth altogether. “Godi media has killed honesty in journalism,” he said, using a term that refers to media perceived to be loyal to the ruling government. The episode has reignited a debate about press freedom and ethical reporting in India, especially during periods of heightened tension with Pakistan.
