NEW DELHI: French investigative news outlet Mediapart has accused BJP of “instrumentalising” its recent report for political gain.
This accusation follows BJP’s claim that the US state department was involved in a plot to destabilise the Indian govt, referencing a Mediapart investigation into the funding of the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
Carine Fouteau, Mediapart’s publisher and director, issued a statement on Sunday flaying BJP for misusing their report. “Mediapart firmly condemns the instrumentalisation of its recently published investigative article about OCCRP by Bharatiya Janata Party of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in order to serve BJP’s political agenda and attack press freedom,” Fouteau said.
She clarified Mediapart’s report did not support BJP’s conspiracy theory and expressed solidarity with journalists striving to uncover truths in India.
BJP did not react to the charge. Speaking privately, however, it attributed the criticism to the pressure brought to bear on the French investigative journalism outlet by liberals.
US embassy had on Saturday responded to BJP’s assertion about state department’s funding for OCCRP by terming it “disappointing”.
