Row over advertisement spending: BJP accuses Himachal Govt of favoring Congress-linked media
Shimla, April 19,
The Himachal Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is facing sharp criticism from the opposition BJP over alleged preferential allocation of advertisement funds to Congress-affiliated publications. Protests were staged in Solan, Shimla, and Chandigarh, with BJP leaders accusing the state government of misusing public money to benefit politically aligned media outlets.
Data tabled in the state assembly revealed that between January 1, 2023 and February 20, 2025, the state’s Information and Public Relations Department spent Rs 97.9 lakh on National Herald and Rs 18.6 lakh on its Hindi counterpart Sunday Navjeevan — a combined total of Rs 1.165 crore. The total advertisement spend during this period across print, electronic, online, and radio platforms stood at Rs 10.27 crore.
Opposition leaders argue that the readership of National Herald and Sunday Navjeevan does not justify such spending, particularly when many small regional and digital outlets continue to be overlooked. They have demanded greater transparency in the ad allocation policy and claimed that the current approach disproportionately favors Congress-linked publications.
In response, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh defended the allocations, stating that successive governments have supported media aligned with their ideologies. Citing data from the previous BJP regime, Singh claimed that RSS-linked publications such as Organiser, Panchjanya, and Matribandhana collectively received more than Rs 1 crore in advertisements during the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government.
Further details revealed that prominent national dailies also received substantial allocations: Hindustan Times (Rs 51.7 lakh), The Tribune (Rs 48 lakh), and Dainik Bhaskar (Rs 31.6 lakh). Still, BJP leaders maintain that the Congress-aligned weeklies received an outsized share relative to their influence.
Stepping into the row, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan, strongly rebutted the BJP’s allegations. He termed the claims—particularly the figure of Rs 2.34 crore allegedly given to National Herald—as baseless and misleading. “Only about Rs 1 crore worth of advertisements have been allocated to National Herald over the last two and a half years,” Chauhan said.
He countered the opposition’s claims by pointing to the BJP’s own record, stating that publications considered the party’s mouthpieces—including Organiser, Panchjanya, and Matrivandana—received over Rs 2 crore during the previous BJP tenure. Additionally, BJP-affiliated publications such as Deep Kamal Sandesh, ABVP’s Chhatra Udghosh, and RSS-linked Tarun Bharat were also given advertisements totaling more than Rs 74 lakh. “In total, over Rs 2.93 crore was issued to BJP-associated publications during Jai Ram Thakur’s government,” he added.
Chauhan dismissed BJP leaders’ claims that National Herald is no longer in circulation, asserting that the weekly continues to be published regularly in English from Delhi and also in Hindi as Sunday Navjeevan, with a Mumbai edition in circulation as well.
He further accused the BJP of using central investigative agencies to harass Congress leaders out of fear of declining popularity, particularly targeting Rahul Gandhi for his persistent criticism of the BJP government.
Providing historical context, Chauhan noted that National Herald was established in 1938 by the Congress party and played a key role during India’s freedom struggle. Its ownership by Associated Journals Limited was legally transferred to Young Indian Company after incurring losses of around Rs 90 crore. “There was no illegality, money laundering, or asset transfer in the process,” he said, terming the BJP’s accusations an attack on democratic values.
He urged opposition MLAs to play a constructive role instead of engaging in what he described as politically motivated propaganda. “They, too, have been elected by the people and must rise above political vengeance,” Chauhan remarked.
Meanwhile, the state public relations department has maintained that all advertisement disbursements were made under approved media guidelines, with Rs 10.27 crore allocated for print and Rs 37.8 lakh for electronic and radio media during the examined period.
As the political friction continues, the issue has rapidly evolved into a war of narratives, with both the Congress and BJP trading charges of partisanship and misuse of public funds.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
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