Sam Stevenson, a UK-based journalist and Assistant Editor at the Daily Express, is currently in India to report on the world’s largest general election. He highlights the significance of personally experiencing the elections in the country to ensure accurate and unbiased reporting.
Stevenson, speaking candidly about his observations, criticised the prevalent negative narratives about India in the Western media. “I think it’s time to say, enough with India bashing. Down with the anti-India ‘Bakwas’. We need to come here and tell the true, positive stories of the new India. Unfortunately, a lot of the narratives that exist in London and across Europe are negative stories about India. We’re hearing things like religious divisions, but that’s not what we’ve witnessed on the ground,” Stevenson told ANI.
Throughout his coverage, Stevenson and his team have extensively journeyed across India, attending rallies and engaging with local communities. He emphasized the experience of observing the country’s diversity, acknowledging it as a noteworthy aspect and said, “We have seen Muslim women in full burqas attending Narendra Modi’s rally. We have seen examples of the pluralism of this great and wonderful nation. We are here to level up the British media’s coverage of this nation. And we’re here to get to the truth and find some real facts and bring them home to London.”
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Stevenson’s comments coincide with India nearing the fifth phase of its seven-phase general election, scheduled to conclude on June 4 with result announcements. His team is ready to report on the upcoming phases across different states and districts. Stevenson expressed criticism regarding how the Western media portrays India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
“Unfortunately, the perceptions of India across Europe and the West are not good. And this is because we are being fed negative stories from the press. And it’s a shame because, actually, people need to come here, see it with their own eyes, live it, breathe it, meet the people, speak to people on the ground, and you will be seeing that, new India, global Britain, we can be a force for good,” he said
He further elaborated on the complexity of India’s socio-political landscape, stressing the importance of nuanced reporting. “The British media are attempting to simplify something that’s very complicated. They are saying Modi is anti-Islam. But actually, when you get on the ground and you speak to real Muslims, when you speak to Hindus, Sikhs, you will see that India is accepting of all cultures or religions. And that is the absolutely fantastic thing about this place.”
Stevenson committed to challenge existing narratives and bring forth the “reality of India’s pluralistic society”. “We’re here to level up the British media’s coverage of this nation. And we’re here to get to the truth and find some real facts and bring them home to London,” he said, underscoring his commitment to journalistic integrity and factual reporting.
