The explosion in Delhi yesterday shook not just a city, but an entire narrative machinery that quickly went into overdrive. What was first confirmed by Indian media as a CNG cylinder blast suddenly became something else. Within hours, hashtags about “cross-border terror” and “Pakistan links” began to trend on Indian social media. And before the smoke had even cleared, the blame was being shifted — predictably — toward Pakistan.
How come this happens every time? When facts point to a domestic accident, the story still takes a turn toward Islamabad. How could that much “RDX,” as some Indian channels loosely claim, even enter Delhi without Indian law enforcement knowing? If it really existed, it could only mean one thing — it was an inside job. So why blame Pakistan?
This is not the first time India’s narrative machine has spun local accidents into grand conspiracies. Every election cycle, and every time the ruling establishment faces internal pressure, the same script plays out. A blast, a headline, a suggestion of “foreign hand,” and an entire nation pushed toward fear and anger. Bihar elections are approaching — and once again, fear seems to be the easiest political currency.
But this time, something even more coordinated unfolded. Within hours of the Delhi blast, several social media accounts traced to Afghanistan began circulating edited posters allegedly belonging to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. They inserted fake Urdu text claiming that the group had taken responsibility. These images were clearly fabricated — the fonts mismatched, the Urdu translation awkward, and the background pulled from old photos used in 2017 disinformation campaigns. Yet Indian users picked them up instantly, retweeting and amplifying the false narrative.
It shows how two disinformation networks — one inside India, another from Afghan social media clusters — seem to have acted in sync. Both pointed fingers at Pakistan even before the investigation had begun. It’s the same tired pattern: create noise, link it to Pakistan or Kashmiri fighters, and flood social media until people stop asking real questions.
What is even more alarming is how the framing shifts to target Indian Muslims. Every time such an incident occurs, blame eventually lands on “local cells” or “Kashmiri suspects.” This isn’t just lazy reporting — it’s deliberate social engineering. It sows distrust, fuels communal hatred, and pushes India’s own citizens into deeper division. The Delhi blast narrative has already started walking that path.
The question remains: did India not learn anything from the embarrassment of Operation Sindoor? That operation was meant to project power but ended in humiliation. Now, by reviving the same tactics of staged fear and false flags, India risks not only international ridicule but also internal instability.
India should have understood by now that Pakistan has nothing to do with these domestic incidents. If they insist on repeating old lies, they must also be ready to face the truth — and the consequences. Pakistan has shown patience, but if these provocations continue, it will hit back where it hurts most — in the credibility that India tries so hard to project.
At the end of the day, the facts are simple. A cylinder exploded. Innocent people were injured. And before investigators could even confirm the cause, the media had already written its verdict. The real explosion wasn’t in Delhi’s streets — it was in the information space, where truth was buried under propaganda.
The real story is not about Pakistan at all. It is about a system inside India that needs an enemy every few months to keep its own people distracted. Every time the truth points inward, fingers are turned outward. Every time a domestic failure surfaces, a new “terror link” is invented. The Delhi blast is no different — a tragic accident turned into a political tool. But this time, the world is watching closely. No amount of fake posters, edited images, or coordinated hashtags can hide the fact that this was India’s own doing. The question India must now face is not who to blame — but why it keeps creating the very crises it claims to fight.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of ARY News or its management.