How difficult is it today for journalists who are Muslims to be on the ground? “Quite a lot,” says Yaqut Ali, The Wire’s video journalist. He narrates two stories he worked on recently which led him to dangerous scenarios.
One of the stories relates to when he was in the midst of a Hindutva mob, numbering close to 1,000, opposing the construction of a Haj House in Delhi. He was forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
In another story, he visited a mob instigator’s house to talk to him and understand what goes behind making communally provocative statements and harbour hate towards Muslims.
On both occasions, given that he is Muslim, he had to conceal his religious identity, yet go ahead and bring out those stories.