The fingerprints of the Deep State in India’s electoral discourse are no longer hidden. The latest link in this chain is Priya Thuvassery, a 2025 Ford Foundation Fellow, and Co-CEO of Chambal Media, the very organization that runs Khabar Lahariya, a digital news outlet that has made a habit of churning out propaganda targeting Prime Minister Modi and constitutional institutions like the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Targeting Bihar – the nerve centre of Opposition’s “Vote Chori” campaign
Khabar Lahariya’s election section is flooded with stories raising doubts over voter list deletions in Bihar. Its editor, Meera, has been seen on-ground (as per their own reels) repeatedly framing the narrative of “voter suppression.” These reports directly mirror the Opposition’s accusations of “Vote Chori,” most recently amplified by Rahul Gandhi.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMIFkmhM86-/?igsh=MWlqMXNidGtnMDVwMg==
This is not independent journalism. This is coordinated narrative-building to delegitimize upcoming elections.
https://khabarlahariya.org/category/election-special
Foreign-funded ecosystem
Priya Thuvassery’s Ford Foundation fellowship is no coincidence. The Ford Foundation has a long, controversial history in India — with government inquiries in the past questioning its role in funding ecosystem players aligned with anti-establishment campaigns. By elevating Priya, the Foundation strengthens a media arm (Chambal Media/Khabar Lahariya) that consistently runs anti-Government stories under the garb of grassroots journalism.
From amplifying CAA protests, to repeatedly mocking PM Modi, to parroting Congress’s press releases — the screenshots of Khabar Lahariya’s social channels prove the intent.
The “independent media” mask
Chambal Media portrays itself as a grassroots, women-driven collective. But the reality is starker: behind the curtain is an ecosystem funded, trained, and legitimized by Western institutions. Their outputs consistently align with Opposition talking points, whether on NRC/CAA, “dictatorship” jibes, or election rigging narratives.
Eroding trust in institutions
By casting aspersions on the ECI — the very institution safeguarding Indian democracy, this ecosystem is not merely reporting news. It is actively manufacturing distrust among voters, especially in sensitive states like Bihar, to aid Opposition propaganda. This is not journalism. This is political warfare.
The Opposition’s “Vote Chori” campaign is not homegrown outrage. It is manufactured dissent amplified by foreign-funded media organizations, legitimized by fellowships from institutions like the Ford Foundation, and deployed strategically before elections.
What the Opposition could not win on performance, they now attempt to snatch by eroding faith in democracy itself — using agents of Deep State masquerading as grassroots journalists.
uthor: Rishi Kalia is a seasoned entrepreneur, Digital media Strategist and political analyst with 23 years of diverse experience in business and public discourse. Tweets at Rishi Kalia
