Full page ad in Washington Post newspaper questions press freedom in India as Modi visits US
Washington: During his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received a grand welcome and is engaging in various activities and meetings with notable figures. However, alongside the warm reception, rights advocates, activists, and critics have voiced their concerns and called on the United States to address issues related to Modi's tenure as Prime Minister.
In a notable display of dissent, trucks in New York City carried screens urging US President Joe Biden to raise crucial questions about recent events in India during his meetings with Modi. These questions revolve around ongoing protests by wrestlers and the detention of activists, including Umar Khalid. The Committee to Protect Journalists and its partners on press freedom issues in India took a significant step by publishing a full-page advertisement in the Washington Post.
The advertisement prominently featured the photographs of six journalists currently detained in India: Aasif Sultan, Gautam Navlakha, Sajad Gul, Fahad Shah, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Irfan Mehraj. It underscored the dichotomy of India being the world's largest democracy while also being one of the most perilous countries for media professionals. The ad highlighted the increasing threats faced by journalists, including physical violence, harassment, baseless lawsuits, and hate campaigns on social media platforms.
The advertisement called upon leaders worldwide who value democracy to exert pressure on those in power in India, urging them to put an end to the threats against journalists and ensure press freedom.
Adding to the chorus of concerns, a group of 75 Democrats, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives, wrote a letter to President Biden earlier this week, urging him to address specific issues during his discussions with Prime Minister Modi. The letter called for attention to be given to press freedom, internet access, and religious intolerance in India.
A full-page ad by CPJ and partner organizations in the @washingtonpost on Wednesday highlights the #pressfreedom crisis in #India ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official state visit to the @WhiteHouse.@wppressfreedom @RSF_inter @globalfreemedia @IWMF @JamesFoleyFund pic.twitter.com/nSpVH21NPw
— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) June 21, 2023
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
