In a latest revelation, the Congress has accused the Modi government of utilizing an exorbitant amount of public funds for propagandistic advertisements over the past nine years.
Under the leadership of Youth Congress President Srinivas BV, the party’s Vice Chairman of the RTI Department, Advocate Anand Mishra, obtained this information through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
According to the RTI data accessed by Mishra, an alarming sum of Rs 2,330 crore has allegedly been spent by the Modi government on advertisements in both print and electronic media. These figures include over Rs 1,000 crore spent on print media alone, with more than Rs 103 crore expended during the financial year 2022-23.
The Modi government’s expenditure on electronic media ads amounted to over Rs 1,330 crore, with Rs 48 crore spent during the last financial year.
Furthermore, the data reveals that a substantial sum of over Rs 200 crore has been dedicated to internet advertising, SMS campaigns, DCAT (Digital Compliance Assessment Tool), DED (Digital Enterprise Development), and miscellaneous expenses.
The Youth Congress contends that these significant expenditures indicate a misuse of public money for the government’s political propaganda, accusing the Modi government of effectively looting public funds.
The party suggests that these resources could have been more appropriately allocated to address pressing socio-economic challenges facing the nation.
The claims made by the Youth Congress have sparked a heated debate, with critics questioning the government’s priorities and urging a thorough investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds.
Proponents of the ruling party, however, argue that advertising campaigns are aimed at disseminating information about government policies and initiatives to the masses.
The accusations made by the Youth Congress come at a time when political tensions are already high, further intensifying the ongoing political discourse in the country. The opposition party’s claims raise concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and the responsible use of public resources.