The New York Times recently published a detailed exposé linking American businessman Neville Roy Singham to Chinese government propaganda efforts, including financial support for the Indian leftist media outlet NewsClick. Singham, a 68-year-old tech tycoon of mixed Sri Lankan and Jamaican heritage, founded the software design and IT consulting company Thoughtworks. He held ideological leanings towards the Chinese Communist Party since his youth, including membership in a Mao-influenced group.
The report highlighted Singham’s association with Chinese tech giant Huawei from 2001 to 2008 as a strategic technical consultant. The New York Times revealed Singham’s success in promoting Chinese government narratives as ‘progressive advocacy’ in various countries, including India, Brazil, South Africa, and the United States.
The New York Times article underlined China’s efforts to expand state media operations, collaborate with foreign outlets, and cultivate influencers to disseminate disguised propaganda. The result has been the emergence of seemingly independent far-left groups echoing Chinese government talking points.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation in July 2018 uncovered that the leftist propaganda website NewsClick, operating in India, had received funds from China. The funds were traced back to Singham, with close ties to the Communist Party of China (CPC). The money trail pointed to Bappaditya Sinha, a CPM IT Cell executive. These findings suggested the involvement of certain ‘anti-India’ elements in a conspiracy to undermine the Indian government, specifically targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur took to Twitter to highlight NYT’s investigative report, labelling the media outlet ‘NewsClick’ as a perilous tool employed by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to advance China’s political agenda globally, including within India. Thakur criticised the Congress party, accusing them of being intertwined with the nexus between ‘China and NewsClick.’
Even newspapers like ‘The New York Times’ are now admitting that Neville Roy Singham and his NewsClick are dangerous tools of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and promoting China’s political agenda across the world.
Much before NYT, India has long been telling the world that… pic.twitter.com/3MtA4UTWkn
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 6, 2023
During a media briefing, Thakur asserted that Congress, China, and NewsClick were intricately linked, akin to an umbilical cord. He criticised Rahul Gandhi, referring to his ‘Nakli Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’ (fake love shop), where he alleged Chinese goods could be seen, implying a pro-China inclination. Thakur further contended that this alliance was engaged in an anti-India agenda.
Moreover, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised concerns about Chinese financing of NewsClick in the Indian Parliament. He referenced the New York Times report, disclosing that organisations like NewsClick had received around ₹38 crores from Chinese sources. Overall, the report unveiled a web of Chinese government propaganda infiltrating global media companies, including ties to Indian outlets.
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