ABSTRACT
The government managed the media successfully during the pandemic so that its apathy towards the migrant workers did not result in countrywide protests. Suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic is, unfortunately, inevitable. But government policies sharply determine the magnitude of this tragedy, and the mainstream media has dangerously blurred the distinction between what is and isn't in the government's control. Each of Modi's addresses to the nation was heavily covered in the media, which mainly focused on unity, patriotism, rhetoric of war, sacrifice, and optimism. Hours before the lockdown, Modi reportedly asked print-media owners and editors in a meeting to refrain from negative coverage. In the case of the migrant crisis, press conferences are where journalists can question government officials on its policies.
