Former Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry stated that in India, the discussions around war are mostly coming from certain states, particularly those bordering Pakistan. He further noted that India has been under the rule of an extremist government for over a decade.
Speaking on Center Stage, Chaudhry emphasized that the trend of extremism in India started long before the current government came into power. He explained that when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took charge, it effectively shut down independent media, transforming it into a tool for the government.
Chaudhry pointed out that Indian media now faces constant pressure, with journalists being targeted for reporting the truth. “The media lives in fear of being attacked by extremists if they speak the truth,” he said, adding that this kind of extremism is harmful to both India’s society and politics.
He also stressed that media in India is now controlled by a select few individuals, and the spread of extremism has marginalized liberal groups. According to Chaudhry, people in regions that share borders with Pakistan are not advocating for war, while it is the people from states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, along with many from the film industry, who are most vocal about conflict with Pakistan.
