News Desk
NEW DEHLI: India’s defence minister, Rajnath Singh, has come under criticism after quoting a line from a feature film while presenting it as a historical anecdote linked to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan.
The remarks, made at a public event in India, quickly drew attention when observers noted that the line attributed to Vajpayee did not originate from the 1999 Lahore visit but from a dramatized dialogue in a biographical film made years later. Video clips circulating online show members of the audience reacting with visible amusement as the comment was delivered.
Indian media and social media users were swift to challenge the claim, accusing the defence minister of blurring the line between cinema and history at a time of heightened political rhetoric between New Delhi and Islamabad. Critics said the episode reflected a broader pattern in which political leaders rely on emotive storytelling rather than verifiable facts when discussing Pakistan.
The clip has since gone viral, prompting a wave of online commentary from users in India and abroad. Many questioned the credibility of senior officials making public statements based on fictional material, while others urged greater care and accuracy in references to sensitive moments in South Asian history.
The Indian defence ministry has not issued a formal clarification, but the episode has fuelled debate about political messaging, historical memory and the use of popular culture in shaping nationalist narratives.
