Akshaya Mukul, a journalist from The Times of India, refused to receive the celebrated Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award for 2016 on the grounds that it was being given away by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a report, Mukul boycotted the ceremony and Krishan Chopra, the publisher and chief editor at Harper Collins India, received the award on his behalf.
In a Caravan report, Mukul stated that it is an honour to have won the RNG award, but could not "live with the idea of Modi (and him) in the same frame, smiling at the camera even as he hands over the award."
He referred to the Patiala House Court incident in February where journalists and students were attacked by alleged lawyers and BJP's OP Sharma, strongly indicating the government's frequent clampdown on the media. The Indian Express management's decision to invite "someone as polarising as" Modi left many journalists unhappy, he wrote.