Norwegian Journalist Questions Modi Over Refusal to Take Press Questions

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced criticism from journalists in Norway after declining to take questions during a press appearance in Oslo as part of his ongoing six-day, five-nation tour.

Modi arrived in the Norwegian capital on Monday to attend the third India-Nordic Summit alongside leaders from Nordic countries.

The incident occurred during a joint press statement with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, where no question-and-answer session was held.

As the two leaders prepared to leave the venue, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng from the newspaper Dagsavisen called out: “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”

Lyng later posted on social media that she had not expected Modi to answer her question.

“Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to,” she wrote on X.

The journalist also attended a later briefing by India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding Modi’s Norway visit, where she raised concerns about press freedom and human rights in India.

“Why should we trust you,” she asked Indian officials, adding: “Can you promise you will stop the human rights violation that goes on in your country?”

Responding to the questions, Indian diplomat Sibi George defended India’s democratic system, saying: “If anyone whose rights are violated, they have the right to go to court. We are proud to be a democracy.”