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| Modi reportedly spoke to Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar on Saturday and heard his explanation on the NDTV deal. |
May 15, 2016, NewsCunch
The memorandum of understanding between Union Textiles Ministry and NDTV Retail, which had Modi supporters up in arms, has been called off.
Prime Minister Modi himself reportedly intervened and ensured that the deal was scrapped after it triggered a huge uproar on social media.
He reportedly spoke to Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar on Saturday and heard his explanation.
As NewsCrunch had noted earlier, the handloom division of the Union Textiles Ministry had signed an MoU with NDTV Ethnic Retail, a sister concern of the news channel, to popularise Indian textiles under the label Indian Roots.
As the news broke, a storm of angry responses kicked off from Modi supporters, who see NDTV as bitterly opposed to their cause and openly call for its boycott.
They stated that the MoU with NDTV retail was a betrayal by Modi government and warned it not to take them for granted.
Gangwar told The Hindu that the agreement had been signed by an official of the Ministry without his knowledge. "Had I been consulted, I would have cautioned the official against it,” Gangwar said.
He also added that it was a small deal worth only Rs 5 lakh, which was blown out of proportion on social media.
It is not the first time social media has been able to influence Modi government's moves. Last November, Modi had hinted that he may back the resumption of cricketing ties to improve relations with Pakistan.
His social media supporters opposed it strongly by trending #NoCricketWithPakistan forcing him to back off.