The Indian media landscape has witnessed growing concern over the role of foreign-funded journalists and organisations that consistently produce content critical of the Indian state. Tarushi Aswani, a freelance journalist, emerges as a prominent figure within this ecosystem.
Her work appears across a range of international and domestic outlets that share a documented anti-India editorial stance. She receives funding from organisations with ties to the Ford Foundation and USAID, both of which have been accused of supporting efforts to destabilise India. Furthermore, she writes for platforms founded by individuals associated with Hindutva Watch, an entity banned by the Indian government for threatening national security. This report examines Aswani’s professional affiliations, her funding sources, her choice of interview subjects, the recurring themes in her reporting, and her social media activity, all of which collectively paint a picture of a journalist operating in lockstep with a well-orchestrated anti-India narrative.
Media Affiliations and Editorial Direction
Tarushi Aswani works as an independent journalist. Her published articles have appeared in Al Jazeera, The Wire, DW, Article 14, The Diplomat, New Internationalist, Foreign Policy, and the Centre for Study of Organised Hate. Each of these publications has been identified as following an editorial line that is consistently antagonistic toward India.
Financial Backing and Institutional Ties
Aswani has received funding through the Earth Journalism Network (EJN), which operates under Internews, a non-profit based in the United States.
The EJN receives financial support from the Ford Foundation, USAID, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the MacArthur Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the European Commission.
A substantial portion of these donors have been linked to efforts that undermine India’s interests and promote internal discord. Given this backdrop, it is unsurprising that Aswani’s reporting reflects a persistent anti-India bias.
Links to Proscribed Entities
Aswani contributes to the Centre for Study of Hate Crimes (CSOH), an organisation founded by Raqib Hameed Naik, who also established Hindutva Watch.
India banned Hindutva Watch’s X account, classifying it as a “potential threat to public order, national security, and sovereignty and integrity of India.”
The CSOH produces content that characterises Hindu religious observances, the BJP’s governance, and Indian state institutions as organised hate systems. Aswani’s writing for the CSOH mirrors this template exactly, suggesting she is operating through a renamed version of a previously banned anti-India platform.
Interview with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
In her interview with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for The Wire, Aswani adopted a favourable tone and refrained from confronting him on his separatist views.
To understand the implications, it is necessary to review Mirwaiz’s record. He previously served as Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella organisation of separatist groups in Kashmir. The NIA’s chargesheet alleges that Pakistani funds, routed through hawala channels, were used to finance stone-pelting operations against security personnel and the deliberate destruction of schools.
In February 2017, the NIA raided Mirwaiz’s residence and seized Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba letterheads, electronic devices, and over ₹2.5 crore in cash. Despite this, Aswani chose to solicit his views on Article 370.
The interview allowed him to project a “moderate” image advocating “peaceful resolution,” a narrative Pakistan actively promotes to gain international legitimacy for the Hurriyat. The questions were limited to his political opinions and made no mention of the NIA’s legal actions against him.
Coverage of the Mumbai Eid Incident
For her piece “Goats, A Pig and VHP: What Went Into Mumbai’s Eid Tension,” Aswani depended exclusively on a report from the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS).
The CSSS was established in 1993 and counts Shabana Azmi among its advisory board members, who has a history of criticising the BJP and Hindu communities. Aswani used the CSSS as her singular source for an internationally distributed story on a communal clash.
Hindu organisations rejected the CSSS’s conclusions, asserting that preparations for animal sacrifice were in progress when police arrived. The CSSS attributed the incident to administrative confusion and “outside mobilisation,” while the counterclaims from Hindu groups were ignored without discussion.
Online Activity and Constitutional Misunderstanding
Aswani shared a post with the caption “Shandaar” that incorrectly claimed the “Right to Vote not Fundamental Right.”
Given her educational background, this reflects a basic constitutional error, as the Right to Vote is a constitutional right, not a fundamental one, yet she chose to ridicule it.
She has also repeatedly expressed support for the violence during the CJP protests, further clarifying her ideological leanings.
Article on Jammu and Kashmir Statehood
In a piece examining why the BJP withdrew the statehood status of Jammu and Kashmir titled “Why BJP Withdrew the Statehood Status of Jammu and Kashmir?” Aswani characterised the abrogation of Article 370 with the term “arbitrary.”
This represents a continuation of the established pattern wherein she advances narratives opposing the government and adopts terminology consistent with separatist discourse.
Article on Jamia Alumni President’s Incarceration
In an article discussing a former Jamia alumni president who spent 22 months in jail and questioned whether stringent laws are applied only to Muslims, Aswani’s presentation was framed around allegations of Islamophobia.
Her coverage, however, omitted the role played by Shifa ur Rehman in the 2020 Delhi riots. The record shows that Shifa ur Rehman faced accusations of utilising AAJMI to channel funds amounting to ₹8.90 lakh for the riots. Investigators found that fake bills were generated in AAJMI’s name, and that women and children were paid to enter protest sites as a means to deter police action. Despite this background, Aswani’s article adopted a sympathetic tone towards him.
Hindu Is Always The Villain
Every villain in Aswani’s story is a Hindu; the government, according to her, has never done even one good work.
She has constantly maintained the positions which her foreign masters dictate. She is a loyal member of the anti-India ecosystem where everyone has the same script.
This article is based on an X thread by Brown Sepoys.
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