MEA used a South Park meme to counter misinformation on PoK. (Image Credit: Instagram)
In an unconventional use of social media, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) employed a viral meme from the animated television series South Park to rebut what it termed as repeated misinformation regarding Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while firmly reiterating India’s position on Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK).
The MEA’s Fact Check unit shared the meme on Instagram with the caption, “How many times do I have to explain this to you?” The accompanying post read, “On repeated falsehoods being spread about the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, @meaindia be like…”
The post reaffirmed India’s consistent position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the territories currently under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation, are integral and inalienable parts of India.
The ministry also took aim at the ongoing electoral process in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, dismissing it as a “cosmetic electoral exercise” intended to legitimise Pakistan’s continued occupation of the region.
According to the MEA, the elections are being used to “camouflage Pakistan’s illegal occupation and hide its grave human rights violations in the region.”
The same message was later amplified on X (formerly Twitter), where the MEA Fact Check account responded to a social media post claiming that Jammu and Kashmir remained disputed territory under United Nations resolutions while defending Pakistan’s electoral process in PoJK.
Rejecting those assertions, the ministry reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas under Pakistan’s “illegal and forcible occupation,” are inseparable parts of India and that New Delhi’s position on the issue remains unchanged.
Unrest continues in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir
The MEA’s response comes against the backdrop of escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
Large-scale protests have intensified in several parts of PoJK, including Rawalakot and Mirpur, following allegations that Pakistani security forces opened fire on demonstrators after talks between the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and Pakistani authorities reportedly collapsed.
According to protest groups, at least 20 people were killed and nearly two dozen others injured in the latest violence. The JAAC has demanded an independent international investigation into the killings and accused Pakistani authorities of using excessive force against protesters marching from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad.
The latest social media intervention by the MEA shows the government’s increasing use of digital platforms and popular internet culture to counter misinformation while reinforcing India’s official position on sensitive geopolitical issues.
