‘Lapdog media’: TV reporters face abuse, assaults over pro-government coverage of CJP protests

When Indian television reporter Dev Kotak went to cover a massive youth protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government this week, he planned to deliver a live broadcast, mill around and leave.

Instead, amid chants of “godi (lapdog) media”, he was beaten by dozens of protesters, because his channel is seen as pro-government. Mobile phone cameras captured the assault and the clip later went viral on social media.