Chinese Propaganda Funding: Complex conspiracy of a network of operators, says MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

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Rajeev Chandrasekhar

What the New York Times has revealed now is not something that has happened for the first time, but rather it is part is a complex conspiracy by a network of operators being funded and fanned by vested interests outside the country who are opposed to India's rise, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Monday. 

Addressing media persons alongside Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur over the revelations made by the New York Times about web portal NewsClick receiving Rs 38 crore funding for allegedly peddling Chinese propaganda, the minister said, "When a group of people and vested interests get together and invest in platforms, and operate with remarkable coordination, cross-post and share each others content, they share a remarkable common consistent goal -- lies and hatred about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about the government, fanning disharmony. We have seen this in Manipur recently. There is a remarkable convergence of strategy and fan a consistent narrative, and ironically there is one political leader who is consistent with this narrative." 

"These narratives that are put out by platforms like NewsClick and others, are echoed almost blindly by this political leader, Rahul Gandhi who goes abroad and says exactly the same things -- democracy is in danger, the judiciary is compromised, the EVMs are compromised, which are exactly the narratives that these platforms put out," he said. 

"This is neither simple nor any innocent activity. This is a complex conspiracy. This is a network of operators being funded and fanned by vested interests outside the country who are opposed to India's rise, its confidence in the global community of nations, its growing economy and presence in global value chains," he added.

Terming misinformation as a real danger to the country's democracy, MoS Chandrasekhar said, "Every time there is an attempt to rein in misinformation, these platforms jump along with their friends, and rally behind the false cover of free speech. The Right to Free Speech guaranteed in the Constitution is certainly not and should not be a cover for misinformation aimed at curbing a nation's rise. This revelation that a foreign country is actively funding platforms that are launching vitriol against our country, government, faith and society is something that we need to be very aware of."