If you don’t like the message, shoot the messenger. That’s what Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi wanted to do but the government shot down her request.
In a highly unusual move, Gandhi sought withdrawal of government accreditation — its official recognition of journalists giving them access to government — of two Reuters India reporters, Aditya Kalra and Andrew MacAskill, after the news agency refused to “amend or withdraw” an October 19, 2015 report headlined ‘India’s budget cuts hurt fight against malnutrition: Maneka Gandhi’.
Calling it “a rare public criticism of PM Modi’s policies”, Reuters quoted Maneka as saying that her ministry’s budget, slashed by half to $1.6 billion, had hit her plans to strengthen the fight against malnutrition since the budget was only enough to pay salaries of 2.7 million health workers until January.
“We still have problems because our cut has still not been restored. Literally, it’s a month-to-month suspense on whether we can meet wages,” Reuters had quoted Gandhi. “It really calls for huge attention.
