I&B minister says NYT 'spreading lies' about India

NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday accused The New York Times of ''spreading lies'' about India, describing an opinion piece published in it on the freedom of press in Kashmir as ''mischievous and fictitious''.

''New York Times had long back dropped all pretensions of neutrality while publishing anything about India. NYT's so-called opinion piece on freedom of press in Kashmir is mischievous and fictitious, published with a sole motive to spread a propaganda about India and its democratic institutions and values,'' Thakur said on Twitter.

''This is in continuation with what NYT and a few other link-minded foreign media have been spreading lies about India and our democratically elected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji. Such lies can't last long,'' the minister said.

The strong rebuttal by Thakur came after the US-based newspaper published an opinion piece on alleged curbs on information flow in Kashmir.

''Some foreign media nourishing a grudge against India and our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have long been systematically trying to peddle lies about our democracy and pluralistic society,'' Thakur said.

He said freedom of press in India is as sacrosanct as other fundamental rights.

''Democracy in India and We the people are very mature and we don't need to learn grammar of democracy from such agenda driven media,'' he said.

Thakur said the ''blatant lies'' spread by NYT about press freedom in Kashmir is condemnable.

''Indians will not allow such mindsets to run their decisive agenda on India soil,'' the minister said.