By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Press Club of India on Thursday distanced itself from an event held at its premises after photographs and videos showing participants allegedly worshipping Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a deity surfaced on social media.
In a clarification issued after the visuals began circulating widely, the Press Club said the event had not been organised by it and stressed that its premises had only been hired to an organisation for holding a press conference.
The Club said it intervened immediately and stopped the event as the organization violated the terms and conditions governing the use of the club.
“The Club had not organised the event,” the Press Club said in its clarification, adding that the hall had been hired for the purpose of conducting a press conference.
The clarification came amid growing attention on social media to photographs and videos from the event, which appeared to show participants conducting a religious-style ceremony in which Prime Minister Modi was portrayed and worshipped as a god.
The Press Club’s statement sought to draw a clear distinction between the institution and the controversial activity, making it clear that the organisation using the hall had acted in violation of the agreed terms.
“The Press Club of India has noticed that a photo/video of an event held at its premises earlier today, is circulating on social media. It is hereby #clarified that the Club had not organised the event.
The hall was hired for the purpose of holding a press conference by an organization but when terms for renting out the place were violated by it, the Club authorities immediately intervened and it was stopped,” the Press Club said on X.
The event was organised by Rajan Singh, vice-president of the Bihar State Transgender Welfare Board, who also announced plans to build a Rs 112-crore temple dedicated to PM Modi in Bihar claiming the government was promoting their rights.