{"id":6953,"date":"2017-12-11T19:24:33","date_gmt":"2017-12-11T13:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=6953"},"modified":"2017-12-11T19:49:11","modified_gmt":"2017-12-11T14:19:11","slug":"times-now-reports-2013-story-2017-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/times-now-reports-2013-story-2017-exclusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Times Now reports 2013 story as 2017 ‘exclusive’"},"content":{"rendered":"

At 2:36 pm on December 11, 2017, Times Now broke an ‘exclusive’ story of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram meeting Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Saleem Zaeef. According to the photograph broadcast by the channel, Chidambaram is seen in the same room as Zaeef. The photograph was taken during the Tehelka ThinkFest at Goa in 2013.<\/p>\n

The hashtag for the report carried by the channel was #CongTalibanTango<\/em>.\u00a0<\/i>The title used by the channel was\u00a0‘UPA mantri met Taliban leader?’\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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#TNExclusive<\/a>: Former Finance Minister P. CHidambaram photographed with Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Zaeef pic.twitter.com\/JLH8lGtZdf<\/a><\/p>\n

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) December 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This ‘revelation’ was cannon fodder for the channel and supporters of the BJP who were quick to denounce the former FM, alleging that he and his party were hand-in-glove with the Taliban. Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Bagga retweeted this tweet by BJP foreign affairs department incharge Vijay Chauthaiwale.<\/p>\n

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What is intriguing is that this news was widely reported<\/a>\u00a0by none other than Times Now’s sister concern Times of India back in 2013 when the meeting took place. Defence Minister and then BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman had tweeted the picture back then, questioning the stance of the Congress party.<\/p>\n

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At the Thinkfest in Goa: Terror within arms distance? Or with visa given, a welcome guest? pic.twitter.com\/s9dJjgjqKP<\/a><\/p>\n

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) November 10, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Shoma Chaudhary, director of ThinkWorks which organised the annual ThinkFest, 2013 has clarified in a tweet that Zaeef was a speaker at the conclave along with others.<\/p>\n

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@TimesNow<\/a> @PChidambaram_IN<\/a> How ridiculous! MullahZaeef was a speaker@THiNK 2013 with CIA chief Robert Grenier& 80 others. Doha talks were on https:\/\/t.co\/lmPH8Dd8gQ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Shoma Chaudhury (@ShomaChaudhury) December 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chidambaram retweeted Shoma Chaudhary’s tweet as a clarification.<\/p>\n

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These tweets were from the Organizers of the Conclave @TimesNow<\/a> @timesofindia<\/a> @ndtv<\/a> @CNNnews18<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/yfANBMj11b<\/a><\/p>\n

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mullah Abdul Saleem Zaeef, who was the Afghan ambassador to Islamabad before the U.S invasion of 2001 was later arrested and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay by U.S authorities till 2005 after which he was released. His name was later removed<\/a> from the United Nations’ Terrorists list in 2010. Zaeef had been invited to speak at the ThinkFest as part of an effort to deliberate on the emerging political scenario in Afghanistan and India’s role in reshaping the trouble torn region.<\/p>\n