ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an example of how journalists negotiate political minefields and face criticism for the simple reason that their output may go against dominant political interests. I focus on the coverage of the political violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat in the spring of 2002 – which was widely seen as a pogrom against Muslims – and explore some of the ethical, political and professional dilemmas faced by journalists covering such events. Gujarat, the land of Gandhi, is likely to remain in the news for some time for the events of 2002, when mobs went on a rampage against Muslims and perpetrated some of the most gory acts of violence since India’s independence in 1947. The nature of the news coverage made as much news as the acts of political violence themselves.
