A Bold Question from a Norwegian Journalist
A Norwegian journalist has captured global attention for her bold questioning of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Norway. Helle Lyng, a reporter for Dagsavisen in Oslo, gained widespread recognition on social media after challenging the Indian leader and his officials with tough questions about press freedom and human rights.
During Mr. Modi’s four-nation European tour, which began with a two-day visit to the Netherlands, he has faced repeated scrutiny over concerns related to press freedom and human rights. On Monday, as Mr. Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store concluded their joint statement, Ms. Lyng called out: “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”
Mr. Modi did not stop to respond and continued walking out of the venue. It was unclear whether he heard the question. Later, Ms. Lyng shared a video of the moment, captioning it: “Prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to.” She emphasized that it is the role of journalists to question those they cooperate with.
India is ranked 157th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, remaining in the "very serious" category. The country dropped six places from its 2025 ranking. Norway ranks first in the index.
Ms. Lyng’s questioning led to a tense exchange at a subsequent press briefing by the Indian foreign ministry, where officials were pressed on issues of press freedom and human rights. She asked, “I am wondering as we strengthen our partnership, why should we trust you?” and questioned whether India could promise to stop human rights violations and if Mr. Modi would begin taking questions from the Indian media.
Senior diplomat Sibi George defended India's democratic credentials, arguing that the country’s actions during major international crises had earned global trust. He referenced the Covid pandemic as an example of India’s contributions to the world and spoke about India being “a civilisational country which has something unique to offer to the world.”
He also highlighted India’s constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights, and mentioned equal rights for women. Mr. George criticized the “limited” international understanding of India’s media landscape and targeted reports questioning human rights violations in the country. He argued that people do not understand the scale of India, noting that Delhi alone has hundreds of television news channels.
In a subsequent post on X, Ms. Lyng said she tried multiple times to get officials to be specific on human rights but was unsuccessful. “The representatives talked about India’s effort during Covid and also yoga, among other things,” she noted.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Mr. Modi, asking, “What happens to India’s image when the world sees a compromised PM panic and run from a few questions?” He added, “When there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear.”
Concerns Raised by Dutch Leaders
Over the weekend, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten voiced concerns about the erosion of press freedom and minority rights in India ahead of his meeting with Mr. Modi. According to the newspaper De Volkskrant, Mr. Jetten was speaking to the press when he was asked about concerns over the state of press freedom and minority rights in India.
“It is not only about press freedom but also about the rights of minorities, who are under severe pressure. That applies in the first place to the Muslim community but also to many other smaller communities,” Mr. Jetten said. He expressed concern about whether India remains an inclusive society where the same rights apply to everyone.
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the rhetoric of Mr. Modi’s BJP against minorities, as well as recent sectarian violence around Hindu religious festivals and state-sponsored demolitions of mostly Muslim properties.
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