New Delhi l
The Central government has formed an inter-ministerial team to monitor and tackle false propaganda circulating online about the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on April 22. The team includes officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
According to officials, the team will review digital content published by Indian and foreign media outlets and their social media activities related to the attack. They aim to identify and act against those portraying negative images of the Indian government and its security forces by spreading false or fabricated news.
The move came after intelligence inputs revealed that several foreign-based YouTube channels and social media handles were promoting fake news following the Pahalgam incident. Officials said Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, had activated teams to push false narratives, with cyber support from handlers based in China.
The investigation has also found that some individuals within India were spreading false information online. Security agencies have already arrested several people across states, including a few women and a sitting legislator in Assam, for their alleged social media posts linked to the attack.
Authorities have also taken action against some Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASK) operators in Lucknow over suspected activities. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a clear advisory to all Indian media houses, asking them not to broadcast live coverage of anti-terror operations or security force movements. The Ministry highlighted that premature reporting could unintentionally help hostile groups and risk the safety of security personnel.
Drawing lessons from past events like the Kargil War, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and the Kandahar hijacking, the Ministry stressed that unrestricted media coverage had previously harmed national interests.
Veteran security expert Brigadier (Retd.) BK Khanna explained that countering false propaganda is critical because enemies often resort to misinformation when direct attacks fail. He noted that such propaganda efforts aim to gain international attention against India.
In another strong move, the government has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative and misleading content about India and its armed forces. Some of the banned channels include popular networks like Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, Geo News, and SUNO News HD.
Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs has conveyed India’s serious concerns to Jackie Martin, the Indian head of BBC, regarding their coverage of the Pahalgam terror attack.
