China, NewsClick, Congress linked to ‘anti-India umbilical cord’: Anurag Thakur

Citing a New York Times report, which alleged that Chinese companies were funding the portal NewsClick, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday (August 7) charged that China, NewsClick website, and the Congress were linked to an “anti-India umblical cord”.

Addressing a press conference along with Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Thakur alleged that “Chinese goods are being sold in Rahul ji’s fake Mohabbat ki Dukan”.

“If you see the funding network of NewsClick, it was funded by a foreigner Neville Roy Singham and he gets funds from China. This Neville Roy Singham has direct contact with the propaganda arm of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese media company Maku Group,” he said.

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The I&B minister said “foreign hands” behind the news portal were revealed in 2021. “They present fake news in the name of free news. Congress and other parties are supporting them,” he alleged.

Ruckus in Lok Sabha

Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised the issue in the Lok Sabha of a news report in the New York Times, which claimed that NewsClick has received funding from Chinese firms and the money has been used to create an anti-India environment.

Dubey cited the NYT report claiming that NewsClick had received funds to the tune of Rs 38 crore, which was used to produce an anti-India environment. Claiming that NewsClick was a member of anti-India tukde-tukde gang, Dubey demanded a government inquest into it.

The ensuing din led to the House being adjourned till 2 pm. Later, in a letter to the Speaker, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called Dubey’s allegations “libellous” and “defamatory” and demanded that Dubey’s remarks be expunged from the House records.

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“When the Acting Chair was giving the floor to ministers to lay papers on the table, Shri Nishikant Dubey’s microphone was switched on. He proceeded to level libellous and defamatory charges against the Congress Party and Shri Rahul Gandhi, a member of the House, without having given any notice, let alone taken the permission of the Chair. His allegations were a flagrant violation of Rule 353 of the Rules of Procedure ad Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha,” Chowdhury wrote.

The New York Times, in its investigation, reported: “In New Delhi, corporate filings show, 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.”

There was no immediate reaction available from the news portal.

(With agency inputs)