New Delhi: Branding digital news portal NewsClick as ‘traitors’, over 250 retired judges, bureaucrats and veterans have written to President Droupadi Murmu seeking action against it. Friday’s letter comes in the wake of a New York Times (NYT) report alleging that the portal received funding from China-linked American millionaire Neville Roy Singham earlier in the week.
With the controversy continuing to blow up, social media platform X (formerly Twitter) suspended the portal’s official account Saturday.
Meanwhile the 11 August letter — addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, with a copy for Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, and carrying the subject line “Bharat First: Call for Decisive Action Against NewsClick” — claims that the NYT report detailing the extent of Singham’s funding network shows how too much leverage is being given to “inimical forces”.
Copies of the letter, seen by ThePrint, have been doing the rounds on social media.
“What such immunity which is not founded upon any law does is that it not only harms the national interest but also opens the door for tarring those legitimate organs of media who should unquestionably be free,” the letter said.
It makes numerous references to the NYT report, arguing that the link between Singham and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is “crystal clear”. It also attempts to draw a connection between the report and the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) 2021 raid of NewsClick’s office as well as the residences of the portal’s key employees, such as Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha.
“The raids at NewsClick premises unearthed regular email exchanges linked to the CCP. These email exchanges were alarming since they involved not just journalists but also senior members of political parties in India who have access to state power,” the letter adds.
While the NYT report’s primary focus was on Singham and his funding network’s purported links to China, it did not get into as much detail on the nature of his funding of NewsClick.
“In New Delhi, corporate filings show, Mr. Singham’s network financed a news site, NewsClick, that sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points.
“’China’s history continues to inspire the working classes,’ one video said,” the NYT reported.
The letter went on to claim that the portal was “building a pro-China narrative” amid the 2020 Galwan clashes along the Line of Actual Control. “They were exchanging emails with a Chinese agent on how to get world maps changed so as to show undisputed Indian territory as either disputed or even part of China!” it added.
The allegations, according to the letter’s signatories, shed light on a purported “sinister conspiracy” between NewsClick and members of the Opposition parties that are “conveniently playing into the hands of an anti-nationalist agenda peddler”.
It further claimed that the “congruence” between past media coverage of the Rafale deal and remarks made by opposition leaders about it supports the signatories’ view that the developments involving Singham and NewsClick undermine Indian democracy.
In light of the new allegations in the NYT report, Prabir Purkayastha issued a statement on the portal on 7 August, denying all charges.
“Notably, the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has, having found a prima facie case in favour of NewsClick, granted interim protection from arrest to various officials of the company. Further, the Hon’ble Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Special Acts), Delhi, has dismissed a complaint filed by the income tax authorities against NewsClick, finding the same to be without merit,” his statement said.
ThePrint reached Purkayastha via WhatsApp messages and calls, and Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson via calls. This report will be updated if and when responses are received.
At the time of the 2021 raid, NewsClick’s editorial team had stated on its portal its intention to “respect the sanctity of the legal process” and not “indulge in a media trial”, while denying the allegations related to money laundering and remittances from abroad.
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Portal funding a political issue
The NYT report led to a furore in Parliament with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey raising it in Lok Sabha by hitting out at the Congress and singling out journalists. His remarks were expunged, only to be reinstated later. In his speech, he cited the NYT report as saying that NewsClick received Rs 38 crore as funding.
He said the portal, which is a part of the “tukde-tukde” gang, has Congress support.
मेरी जानकारी के अनुसार मेरे बोले हुए कोई भी शब्द Expunge नहीं हुए हैं मैंने सभी शब्द गंभीरता से बोला है और सभी बोले हुए शब्दों के लिए प्रमाण मेरे पास है https://t.co/V5rDRCt0mU
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) August 7, 2023
Later, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur held a press conference on the issue where he said, “India had been highlighting how NewsClick was a dangerous tool of misinformation and was used for anti-India narrative. But the Ghamandiya [arrogant] coalition [of parties in opposition to the BJP], Congress, China and NewsClick are part of an umbilical cord.”
The Congress has not yet reacted to the BJP’s attack.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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