Addressing the media, BJP leader Parvesh Varma held up the New York Times and the Khaleej Times and said: “This is a photo of both the newspapers. Both the newspapers have one reporter, the article is the same, word-to-word, the same six pictures are in both. Does that ever happen?”
AAP hit back, pointing out that the Khaleej Times article credits the New York Times and rubbished the claims of “paid news”.
“I challenge them, use whatever money you have, whatever power you have. You try and get an article published in New York Times if you think that is possible,” AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj said, adding: “They are lying on national TV! The New York Times piece credits their staff (Karandeep Singh). In the Khaleej Times, it is written below the article – courtesy New York Times.”
Another AAP leader, Raghav Chadha, called the claim laughable. “No news of any BJP leader was ever printed there. BJP calls itself the biggest party in the world. It’s the richest political party. They should appear on New York Times’ front page daily if someone can buy them,” Chadha tweeted.
NYT clarifies
Refuting the advertisement accusation by the BJP, the American newspaper told a media group that the article was a result of independent and impartial ‘on-the-ground reporting’. “The article on the front page of the International edition of The New York Times is news coverage, not an ad or paid for in any way,” it said.
“Our report about efforts to improve Delhi’s education system is based on impartial, on-the-ground reporting, and education is an issue that The New York Times has covered over many years. Journalism from The New York Times is always independent, free from political or advertiser influence. Other news outlets routinely license and republish our coverage,” the newspaper told the media group.
CBI raids followed international praise: Kejriwal
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal accused the Centre of targeting Sisodia as it couldn’t stomach international praise for an AAP minister. “In a way, Sisodia has been declared as the best education minister in the world. The biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution and carried Sisodia’s photograph also,” Kejriwal said, adding that the last time India’s name featured in NYT was over mass deaths due to Covid.
“A day later, CBI arrived at his home. There will be many obstacles, but our work will not stop. CBI has orders from above to target us. Let it do its job, he added.
Slip of tongue
The controversy started when Kejriwal, while praising Sisodia fore being featured in NYT, said: “It is very difficult to get a news published in the New York Times which is the biggest news paper of the most powerful country of the world.”
He hastened to clarify: “It is very difficult for a story to be published in the New York Times. Presidents, Prime Minister of every country in the world are desperate for their names and photos to appear on front page of NYT.”
Latching on to this alleged slip of tongue, Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi tweeted “Chor ki dadhi mein tinka (a guilty conscience needs no accuser)”.
North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari too cited the story alleging AAP was “wasting” public money on publicity. “Caught here too. New York Times and Khaleej Times same word to word…same author also. Shameless AAP is wasting money of Delhi public for publishing its photos by paying money,” Tiwari tweeted in Hindi.
West Delhi BJP MP Parvesh Verma claimed that the story carried the photo of a private school and not one run by Delhi government.
(With inputs from agencies)