Foreign Media And The Delhi Violence

There has been an unprecedented torrent of international criticism of the Narendra Modi government over the Delhi riots.

- Minhaz Merchant

Britain’s Left-leaning The Guardian was incensed: “The immediate causes of events are the fallout from Narendra Modi’s unjust Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the dangerous rhetoric employed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi’s city elections this month, and the mob incitement by BJP leaders like Kapil Mishra, to violently remove a group of Muslims who were blocking a road in the capital’s north-west to protest against the legislation.”

Conflicting voices

The Wall Street Journal’s three correspondents — all of Indian origin — reported: “(Intelligence Bureau officer) Ankit Sharma was returning home when a group of rioters started throwing stones and charged into the street near where his house is located, his brother said.” WSJ then reportedly quoted Sharma’s brother Ankur Sharma: “They came armed with stones, rods, knives and even swords; they shouted ‘Jai Shri Ram’...”

In an interview with India’s national broadcaster Prasar Bharati, Ankur Sharma has reportedly disputed the WSJ report: “I never gave such a statement to The Wall Street Journal. This is a ploy to defame my brother and my family. The Wall Street Journal is lying.”

Let’s break down the facts. Most international journalists clearly haven’t either read the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) or haven’t understood it. The fault though lies at least partially with the Indian government.