NDTV deletes its tweet after MEA dispels its false claim that “India sent a private jet for Rajapaksa”

PAROMITA DAS

NDTV and Indian national interests have long had a tense relationship. Terrorists and the Pakistani government, which uses terrorism as a form of state policy against India, have given their endorsement to Journalists connected to the channel. In this article, we examine another instance where NDTV Journalists’ anti-India reporting and false statements have conflicted with Indian national interests, all again.

The Indian government reaffirmed on Thursday that it has no involvement in the travel of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former president of Sri Lanka, and that it has never assisted him in leaving that country.

All claims made by the media outlets that India had sent Rajapaksa a private jet at the request of the Maldives government were refuted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian High Commission in the Maldives.

High Commission categorically denies baseless reports that suggest that Govt. of India was involved in the reported transit of @GotabayaR through the Maldives.

— India in Maldives (@HCIMaldives) July 14, 2022

This is most likely in response to NDTV, the Leftist news network, falsely reporting that Rajapaksa was flown from the Maldives to Singapore in a private jet sent by India. “#JustIn: Velana International Airport is where President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is right now. He is preparing to leave in a private jet that has not yet arrived from Delhi, according to a tweet from NDTV.

The media outlet also mentioned in the tweet that Rajapaksa’s arrangement was made after the Government of the Maldives asked the Government of India for assistance. All of these allegations were refuted by the Indian government, which reaffirmed on Thursday that it had nothing to do with Rajapaksa’s travel arrangements. According to MEA, “India has no role in Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa’s departure from the nation or in facilitating the same.”

According to reports, NDTV removed the false tweet on July 14. Earlier as well, the Indian High Commission in Colombo declined to assist the departing president of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in escaping to the Maldives. In spite of the country’s growing political and economic issues, the High Commission had expressed support for the Sri Lankan people, calling media reports that claimed India had assisted Rajapaksa in fleeing the country “baseless and speculative.”

Govt of India denied this. Now deleted by the Jehadi channel, but Govt seems to be in no mood to punish them for non-stop anti-national propaganda pic.twitter.com/TRdYSSksWj

— iMac_too (@iMac_too) July 15, 2022

The MEA went on to say that India will support the Sri Lankan people as they work to fulfill their aspirations for prosperity and advancement through democratic institutions, established democratic values, and a legal framework.

According to the office of the House speaker, the troubled president of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, announced his resignation on Thursday, shortly after arriving in Singapore. Rajapaksa, 73, reportedly announced his resignation via email hours after arriving in the city-state following the weekend invasion of his palace by protesters, according to a spokesperson for Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Rajapaksa arrived at Singapore Changi Airport in the evening aboard a Saudi Airlines flight. He had neither requested nor been granted asylum, according to a spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to media queries. The spokesperson stated that Singapore typically does not grant requests for asylum.

With millions of people unable to buy food, medicine, energy, and other necessities, Sri Lanka, a country with 22 million people, is going through its worst economic downturn in seven decades. Yesterday, Wickremesinghe, the nation’s acting president, declared a state of emergency.