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- Published: August 11, 2023 18:35
New Delhi: The controversy over foreign funding into news portal ‘NewsClick’ by Chinese operators, as established in an investigation by US based New York Times, has resulted in heated exchange of war of words between the government and the Opposition.
The Chinese funding into NewsClick reverberated in Monsoon Session of Parliament as well, with many BJP lawmakers calling out its anti-agenda, at the behest of foreign powers.
In latest episode, a group of 255 eminent citizens have written an open letter to President Droupadi Murmu and CJI Chandrachud, calling for ‘decisive action’ against the news portal.
As per New York Times investigation, NewsClick was one of the multiple organizations to have received funding from American millionaire Neville Roy Singham and the same was routed by Chinese masters, with an aim to further Chinese agenda in the country.
“As Indians, we are deeply pained by the anti-India agenda originating from fake news peddlers and vested lobbies,’ wrote the group of distinguished citizens.
Decrying the dubious conduct of news portal, they wrote, “It is crystal clear that Neville Roy Singham, associated with the propaganda arm of the Communist Party of China (CCP) transferred a huge sum as FDI to NewsClick by purchasing its shares at an astronomical premium.”
“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,” they further wrote.
For the unversed, the offices & premises of NewsClick & its founder were raided by the ED team in 2021 for alleged money laundering. The agency reported found foreign funding to the tune of Rs 76.9 crore in the news outlet.
Calling for action against the news portal in question, the citizens write, “It is high time that this manufactured consensus of anti-national, anti-democratic, and ironically anti-free press agenda is set to rest.”
