After BJP’s criticisim of Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, giving Rs 2.35 crore advertisement to National Herald, Principal Media Adviser to Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan in a rebuttal released data showning similar practice by the opposition when their party was in power.

Addressing media persons here on Saturday, Chauhan, while releasing the figures, stated that during BJP government’s tenure advertisements amounting to around Rs 2.93 crore were issued to various publications associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) published in UP, Maharashtra and Nagpur.

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He said that in the 5 years tenure of the previous BJP government, Rs 1.62 crore was given to the RSS mouthpieces Organizer and Panchjanya monthly magazines from New Delhi, Rs 20.20 lakhs to Bharat Prakashan and Rs 20.17 lakh to Matrivandana anothet monthly magazine linked to RSS, Rs 17.64 lakh of ABVP Shimla magazine, Rs 12.74 lakh to Vidyarthi Parishad Nidi Trust, Rs 7.74 lakh of Chhatra Udghosh, Rs 4.60 lakh to Deepkamal Sandesh, Rs 31.93 lakh to Tarun Bharat Magazine published from Nagpur and Rs 15.68 lakh to Educational Welfare and Charitable Society for advertisements.

Chauhan said that this amount was not given to any daily newspaper, but favoured media house that were ideologically close. Questioning the outrage by BJP over National Herald, he said that this relects political hypocrisy, BJP should answer this.

He clarified that the advertisements in the National Herald were part of the state government’s efforts to publicize government schemes and achievements. Accusing BJP of misleading the public he showed copies of National Herald and Navjeevan Sunday newspapers and claimed that they have been given Rs 1.01 crore of advertisements instead of 2.34 crore.

He said that the allegations of the BJP that the National Herald does not get publised were wrong and that he would send the copies of the same to BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Jai Ram Thakur.