There has been mixed reaction from the Indian media in regards to how the issue of attacks on Indian students should be reported.
Victorian Premier John Brumby slammed the Indian media for 'unbalanced' reporting earlier this month, and diplomatic efforts have hinged on maintaining calm, as more and more instances of violence against Indian nationals are reported.
Bollywood composer AR Rahman, who visited Australia in January as part of the Sydney Festival urged caution with the way the media in his home country reported on issues relating to what many consider to be racially-motivated attacks.
"First of all we need more responsible media," the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire composer has said.
"Media is a great tool, but grossly misused and can provoke people.'
But bloggers and journalists in India say there is merit to the amount of attention the issue is given.
"Initially it was a case of media hysteria," journalist for The Hindu, Sandeep Dikshit says.
"But the attacks kept regularly happening for over a year and there was the feeling of anger and irritation here."
Mr Dikshit goes on to say there's a level of hypocrisy in the way the Indian reportage has played out.
"Imagine if the Americans, Australians, British or French had been assaulted for a year," he says.
Indian student living in Australia and studying of the University of Technology Sydney, Yashesh Shah, agrees.
"If something happens to an Australian citizen in India, what is will the Australian government do?"
He says the amount of reporting is representative of the severity of the crimes committed.
Vichal Sherawat, an Indian student pilot, says much the same thing.
"I will not say the Indian media has blown it out of proportion, because people have died," he says.
But even within India there is a sense that the issue has snowballed.
"I think everyday we see new developments here and analysis that just defy logic at times about how India must respond to Australia and basically the racial element coming through all the time," Indian blogger and freelance journalist Venkat Ananth says.
Mr Ananth is scathing of the motives for the reporting.
"It's hysteric in a way, but I guess jingoism and uber-nationalism is something the Indian news media uses more than occasionally to put its point across."
"It is not justified. I think India has many pressing issues other than this to report on, it's just a case of what suits the respective channel's needs," he says.
Mr Dikshit says the level of competition in the India media is driving the frenzied reporting.
"India now has too many Fox TV clones competing furiously with each other," he says.
"One count outs the number at 300 news channels with 100 waiting in the wings. Every regional language has half a dozen competitors if not more."
