#ModiMediaGate: Washington Post scribe says PR firms working for Modi govt trying to influence foreign media

Now, many are asking as to how much the Modi government is spending on PR firms to manage its image.

The Twitter debate sparked by Washington Post India bureau chief Annie Gowen, whose tweet hinted that PR firms working for the Modi government were trying to influence foreign media, was at its peak on Saturday afternoon.

Annie Gowen's tweet led to a major debate on whether the BJP-led government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was wasting away the public funds to improve its image.

The revealation by the Washington Post journalist also led to the creation of a viral trend on Twitter -- #ModiMediaGate. "We have been contacted twice in recent weeks by private PR companies representing Indian govt. officials. Good use of govt funds? @PMOIndia," Annie Gowen Tweeted.

The tweet was followed by another on Saturday, in which she said: "Point being Modi govt doesn't need to hire fancy PR firms-they just need to make officials available in timely way @PMOIndia"

Coincidently, the entire debate raged on the same day as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to journalists at a 'Diwali Milan' at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

According to an Indian Express report, at the event, PM Modi went around freely shaking hands with the assembled journalists, some of whom took selfies with him.

#ModiMediaGate Twitter reactions

Big worldwide information manufacturers such as California Publish #ModiMediaGate see.. https://t.co/y4P71KfRYp pic.twitter.com/LlIsyGlYhZ

â€” Sujata Mehta (@sujatam1222) November 28, 2015

#RahulGandhi spent 500cr in his makeover, how much will PM spend? #ModiMediaGate https://t.co/QZjHmO6z93 â€” poonam agarwal (@poonam2608) November 28, 2015

Sonika Thavare â€@sonikathavare1

Foreign press has been very crucial of Modi's #ModiMediaGate

Gopal agarwal â€@Gopalagarwal009

Modi Government still investing in PR shows how weak the Government has been addressing the issues #ModiMediaGate

Sojo â€@SojoVarughese

So the money collected through hiked taxes and fares are used to buy media houses? #ModiMediaGate

A'all is well! â€@tomujibhusen

Now it's understood, where tax Rs33.46 on petrol is going, a part of,for GF like Ambani Adani, gappu circus n foreign media! #ModiMediaGate

Bhaskar Tejaswi â€@simplytrue123

Bhaskar Tejaswi Retweeted Annie Gowen
#ModiMediaGate Influencing international media through private firms.. improper if true @TimesNow @ndtv @abpnewstv