Many prominent users, including the government of India's advisor Kanchan Gupta, took to Twitter to slam the NYT over the job posting, which, they claimed, sought candidates who are 'anti-Modi' and 'anti-Hindu'.
The credibility of the New York Times came under intense scrutiny on Friday after requirements for the post of South Asia Business Correspondent in New Delhi stoked controversy on social media.
Many prominent users, including the government of India's advisor Kanchan Gupta, took to Twitter to slam the NYT over the job posting, which, they claimed, sought candidates who are 'anti-Modi' and 'anti-Hindu'.
The has dropped all pretences of impartiality with this job ad for a South Asia Correspondent. They are clearly looking to hire an anti-Modi activist who can also stoke anti-India sentiments in our neighbourhood. With this, the paper qualifies as a foreign-funded NGO. pic.twitter.com/hw3QIRqjzn
— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta)The NYT job posting on its website and its described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one who advocates "self-sufficient, muscular nationalism, centred on the country's Hindu majority".
The posting also noted that the government's efforts to police online speech "have raised difficult questions about balancing issues of security and privacy with free speech."
Several social media users questioned the need for the NYT to include such sweeping remarks in a job description. They claimed that the remarks pointed out that NYT is looking to hire journalists with a clear ideological bent and those who would openly bring in a strong element of anti-Hindu bias in their coverage.
A quick lesson in how to become an international journalist with
If you are a Modi/RSS/BJP/Hindu hater, NYT is for you. Doesn’t matter if you are even a dreaded criminal.
Young Rana Ayub’s, Barkha Dutts & - pl apply. pic.twitter.com/gofrMnmIzo
Other critical remarks in the job profile included a ridiculous claim about the border tension between India and China being a 'drama', and an assertion that India was a "melting pot of people and languages grappling with difficult questions of class and wealth disparity".
The NYT had found itself in the firing line last month when it got standup comedian Kunal Kamra to give a serious commentary on Prime Minister Modi's handling of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Using the NYT 'Opinion' platform, Kamra claimed that the government had blood on its hands.
These two factually incorrect sentences are part of the job description for the position of "South Asia Business Correspondent" based in New Delhi. Journalism is in danger, indeed. But from within. pic.twitter.com/RdwYD6C6X8
— Samaira Rehan (@SamairaRehan)Targeting an "overconfident Prime Minister Narendra Modi", Kamra claimed that "the administration put political vanity before common sense and opened the door to a devastating resurgence of coronavirus infections."
The comedian's remarks triggered a backlash on social media, with many questioning NYT's credibility and Kamra's ability to comment on the country's leadership at an international forum.