By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, JAN. 18: The leading English language daily The Hindu that published an article on Jan. 17 has been lambasted by President elect Donald Trump’s transition team advisor saying that he did not reveal any insider information and that information in the article is not accurate.
Michael Pillsbury, President elect Donald Trump’s transition team advisor tweeted that details claimed by a piece authored by the paper’s Associate editor Atul Aneja is “fake” whilst demanding a retraction.
The prompt tweet by Pillsbury read, “Fake news retraction demanded from Mr. Atul Aneja in The Hindu online faked anti- Trump news Trump did not reject meeting Dalai Lama.”
The article, ‘Is Trump preparing to change the script on Tibet?’ published on Tuesday claimed Michael Pillsbury, during visit to China, has revealed that the U.S. President-elect had declined the Dalai Lama’s request for a meeting, indicating Trump who will soon take office’s openness to a policy shift on Tibet.
Pillsbury further wrote, “Fake news – I don’t know if Mr. Trump will see the Dalai Lama or not and I certainly did not claim to be a Trump advisor or to reveal his decisions on anything. My published article is accurate that Mr. Trump has several options about Tibet and India. This reporter was not even present and cited a Chinese language website about a Chinese TV interview that does not support what he wrote. I favor Trump meeting the Dalai Lama, all things considered. But I have no insider knowledge.”
The Central Tibetan Administration run Tibet.net mentioned that Tibetan PM Lobsang Sangay, “responded to the fake news saying ‘Pillsbury wrote me an email last night rubbishing the news and said he supports a meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.”
The Hindu is English language daily headquartered in Chennai with readership of 1.6 million. The newspaper is known for its leaning towards socialist ideologies and pro China reportage.
