The recent failed attempts by the Opposition and anti-government elements to stage a protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise undertaken by the Election Commission have led to the unfolding of a vicious regime change operation. What was being projected as an organic movement of people demanding accountability from the Election Commission turned out to be a well-planned conspiracy to take down the Modi government by creating the illusion of public resentment.
From organising agitations on the ground to peddling anti-government propaganda on the internet, the Opposition used all possible tactics to destabilise the government. Recently, a viral clip of an online group chat revealed how the Opposition ecosystem used a network of around 5000 content creators, including ‘independent journalists’, to spread its anti-government narrative and influence public opinion.
An India Today report revealed that the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests witnessed the presence of several people who posed as journalists. These people possessed press ID cards, microphones, and logos of some suspicious organisations, carrying the appearance of journalists. Further digging by India Today revealed that many of them were linked to news websites that emerged very recently. Some of these websites were created between February and March this year.
The report mentioned the names of some of these organisations as the Indian Press Union (IPU), NEED24, and FNF. NEED24 was reportedly created in 2022, FNF originated in 2024, and the Indian Press Union (IPU) in 2025. The report said that the IPU claimed to have been operational since 2016, but India Today found no evidence supporting the claim.
Further investigation by India Today revealed that some of these so-called news websites have been selling journalistic credentials, including Press ID cards and microphones, for as low as ₹599. Websites of many of these organisations had videos of interviews, press conferences and events that appeared AI-generated to create an illusion of an authentic, established organisation.
Out of the six websites of different organisations examined by India Today, four were found selling press credentials that can make anyone look like a journalist. The websites offered press ID cards, microphones, car stickers, and even online profiles to create an illusion of an authentic journalist.
The report stated that the website of an organisation called Hind Media Network advertised a press ID, certificate, and online reporter profile for ₹599 and a microphone kit for ₹3,500. NEED24 News offered an ID card and reporter profile page for ₹999 and even offered a State Bureau Chief designation on its press card for an annual subscription of ₹25,000. Another organisation, Asian Union Press, offered a press ID, membership certificate, and even article publishing for ₹999. Similarly, Indian Press Union offered a printed press ID card and car sticker for ₹1,799.
The report highlights an alarming trend of opinions being peddled as ‘news’ or ‘neutral reporting’ in the guise of journalism in the recent CJP-led protests against the government. OpIndia earlier reported how some social media influencers and content creators turned into self-styled, ‘independent’ journalists overnight, driven by a desire to go viral and gain followers and views by covering the CJP-led protests. This sudden change was also triggered by the Delhi Police’s order making press accreditation mandatory for journalists covering the latest CJP demonstrations.
While the right to ask questions is not a privilege limited to any specific class of people, the ‘news’, or rather content reported by the so-called independent journalists lacks not just authenticity but also accountability. A recent undercover operation revealed that many of these influencers-turned-journalists became readily available for a price to peddle the Opposition’s agenda amid the ongoing situation. The emergence of these seasonal journalists has made it a challenge not just for law enforcement but also for ordinary people to distinguish between real news and propaganda.
