Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday accused The New York Times of "spreading lies" about India, describing an opinion piece published in it on the freedom of press in Kashmir as "mischievous and fictitious".

"New York Times had long back dropped all pretensions of neutrality while publishing anything about India. NYT's so-called opinion piece on freedom of press in Kashmir is mischievous and fictitious, published with a sole motive to spread a propaganda about India and its democratic institutions and values," Thakur said on Twitter.