The “public service” in question was Modi auctioning off gifts he’s received over the years, apparently raking in Rs 150 crore to be allocated towards the “nation”. Sadly, this was “not

news” for the media. He said in Hindi, “_Hamare media walon ke liye ye jo main bol raha hoon wo khabrein nai hoti hain. Kyunki jo ye khabrein chap jayein, baaki logon ko bahot neecha dikhana

padega. Isliye aisi khabron ko daba diya jata hain.” _ Loosely translated, “This is not news for our media persons. Because if they print these news, they will show others in a bad light.

So, such news is suppressed.“   Not one to toot his own horn, Modi continued: “Your servant has approximately spent Rs 150 crore in the service of people…_Agar main bhi parivarwadi hota toh

endless. It’s unclear whether the public must be grateful that the prime minister didn’t instead keep the gifts, but we digress. After all, any public accountability is worth applauding –

especially when it comes to a government that does it so rarely. Just this morning, a _contempt petition_ was filed in the Supreme Court against the State Bank of India for missing its

deadline to disclose information about electoral bonds purchased and encashed since 2019.  And electoral bonds are just the tip of the iceberg. Last month, _The News Minute_ and

_Newslaundry_ joined hands to delve into the murky world of companies that donate funds to the Bharatiya Janata Party. _Check out the series here_. _If you liked this piece, let our

reporters tell you_why you should subscribe to Newslaundry_.    _ _General elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together. Choose an

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