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Maria Saleh
Maria Saleh

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Playing Both Sides: How India Fuels the Fire It Cries About

Start the fire, blame your neighbor, and call yourself the hero — this isn’t strategy, it’s state-sponsored theatre.

I’m an Indian. And I’m done pretending.
Every time something explodes in Kashmir, we are expected to stand, salute, and scream “Bharat Mata ki Jai” without asking a single question. Every time our government points a finger across the border, we’re told to shut up, fall in line, and blame Pakistan.

But not this time.

This time, I’m angry. This time, I’ve seen too much. And I refuse to be a pawn in Modi’s dangerous game of false flags and fake wars.

The Pahalgam “attack” of April 2025 — let’s be honest — has all the trademarks of a state-orchestrated drama. Poorly written. Sloppily executed. And painfully transparent.

No evidence. No credible suspect. No answers.

Yet within hours, TV studios declared Pakistan guilty. Hashtags trended. Revenge was demanded. And just like always, the real story — the one involving Modi, elections, media puppets, and public manipulation — was buried under a pile of patriotic noise.

The Timing Is Not a Coincidence — It Never Is
Let’s stop pretending like this happened in a vacuum.

Modi is in trouble. Big trouble.

The economy is tanking. Farmers are protesting again. Joblessness has crossed record highs. Global headlines are now less about “India Shining” and more about “India Silencing.”

There’s backlash over Sikh assassinations abroad. Human rights groups are calling us out. Canada, the US — even allies are raising eyebrows.

So what does Modi do?

Same thing he always does: create chaos. Distract. Shift the narrative. Paint himself as the tough guy saving India from “terror.”

It worked in 2019 after Pulwama. It worked in 2016 after Uri. And now, it’s being tried again in 2025.

Except this time, we’re not buying it.

Sketches Today, Photoshops Tomorrow
Within 24 hours of the so-called Pahalgam attack, we were shown sketches of suspects. Then, as expected, those sketches changed. Suddenly, old militant photos from years ago were presented as “fresh intelligence.”

Seriously? We have the third-largest army in the world and a massive intelligence network, but we can’t even figure out who did it?

Or maybe — just maybe — nobody did it.

Because nothing happened.

I’ve seen people who were reportedly “killed” go live on social media denying it. I’ve watched local Kashmiris question the entire event. Eyewitnesses? Nonexistent. CCTV footage? Gone. Independent verification? Zero.

This is not an investigation. This is an Instagram reel made for likes.

India the Victim… Again?
Modi’s India has become obsessed with playing the victim.

We are constantly told that the world is against us. That we’re surrounded by enemies. That “anti-nationals” within are weakening the nation.

But let me ask you: who benefits from this narrative?

Not you. Not me. Not the farmer struggling to feed his children. Not the student sitting unemployed with a degree in his hand.

The only beneficiary is the BJP — a party that has nothing left to offer except rage.

Rage against Muslims. Rage against Pakistan. Rage against liberals. Rage against students. Rage against farmers. Rage against reality.

It’s like rage is the new development.

The Media: Arsonists With Cameras
I’ve stopped watching news channels. They’re not journalists anymore. They’re fire-starters.

Their job is not to inform — it’s to inflame. And every time a tragedy happens, they pull out their “national emergency” graphics and start yelling louder than the sirens.

Not one of them asks real questions.

Why was there no security footage?

Why do the stories from the ground keep changing?

Why is every "terrorist" conveniently linked to Pakistan?

Why do we hear about bounties only after names are declared guilty?

The answer is simple: because they’re not reporting. They’re participating.

The Global Silence Is the Real Verdict
You know what’s worse than criticism? Silence.

After the Pahalgam drama, I kept checking the news wires — Reuters, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times. Nothing. Just mild reporting with no confirmation.

CIA? Silent.

Interpol? Absent.

UN? Neutral.

When even the global agencies that normally side with India say nothing — you know something’s off.

The world has seen this show before. Iraq’s WMDs. Syria’s chemical attacks. Afghanistan’s "liberation."

They’re done clapping for poorly staged war stories.

Ask the Soldiers, Not the Politicians
Let me tell you something: the soldier who stands on the border doesn’t want war.

He wants peace. He wants to live. He wants to go home to his family.

It’s the men in suits — the ones who never bleed — who want war. Because it wins them elections. It gives them power.

And they’ll send your son, your brother, your friend to die for it.

The ones who yell the loudest for “revenge” are never the ones who fight.

They’re the ones who profit.

Questioning Is Not Treason
I’ve been called anti-national.

I’ve been told I “hate India” because I question the government.

Let me make this clear: I love India enough to call out its lies.

True patriotism is about demanding truth. It’s about standing up for your people, not your politicians.

If innocent people are being used as bait for political gain, that’s not nationalism — that’s a crime.

And I won’t stay silent while my country is being hijacked by thugs with flags.

The Social Media Purge — Gagging the Truth
Right after the attack, dozens of Pakistani YouTube channels were blocked. Meme pages banned. Even Coke Studio’s songs were removed from Indian platforms.

Why?

Because distraction works better when you mute the music.

What about freedom of speech? What about digital democracy?

Gone.

Meanwhile, Indian propaganda accounts continue to spread lies unchecked. Fake news spreads faster than wildfire. Anyone who posts “India is lying” gets shadowbanned or worse.

We’re not living in a democracy anymore. We’re living in a curated feed controlled by a regime.

This Isn’t About Pakistan Anymore
Let’s be honest.

This was never about Pakistan.

This is about power.

Pakistan is just the scapegoat. The punching bag. The convenient villain that keeps Modi’s approval ratings above water.

But the real battle is internal.

Between truth and lies.

Between power and people.

Between those who seek justice and those who profit from chaos.

The World Is Watching — And Laughing
We wanted to be Vishwaguru — the world’s teacher.

Now we’re the world’s cautionary tale.

Canada accused us of international assassinations. The US warned us about extrajudicial operations. Minority communities are fleeing. Journalists are being jailed. Farmers are being beaten. Students are being watched.

And all we can do is yell "Pakistan" like it’s a magic spell.

It's embarrassing. It's exhausting. And it has to stop.

I Refuse to Be Used
As an Indian, I refuse to be a pawn in Modi’s game.

I refuse to stand silently while my government sacrifices truth at the altar of politics.

I refuse to pretend like war is patriotism.

It’s not.

Patriotism is asking for proof. It’s protecting the lives of our citizens. It’s demanding accountability.

It’s seeing through the smoke — and knowing exactly who lit the match.

Final Words: Stop Burning the Nation to Save Your Seat
Modi ji, your job is to lead. Not to lie.

If there was a real attack, prove it. If there was a real enemy, show us.

But if this is just another false flag — another Pulwama — then you are playing with fire.

And this time, India might not survive the blaze.

Because you can only cry wolf so many times before people stop believing.

And I, for one, have stopped believing a long time ago.

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