Helle Lyng Svendsen, a Norwegian journalist at Dagsavisen, had no idea that a single question directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi would ignite a storm in India. But she asked anyway: “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”
Later, the Indian embassy in Norway personally tagged her on X, inviting her to a press conference hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). She showed up and didn’t hold back. She pressed MEA officials on human rights violations in India and on when Modi intended to face critical questions from the Indian press. MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George’s answers left her unsatisfied, and though she pushed back directly, she got nowhere.
Stating that her intention was not to insult Indians, Lyng told Newslaundry, “My only intention is to try to challenge the powerful people of this world, including PM Modi.”
With her Instagram and Facebook accounts now suspended, she added, “Let's say I am banned for life from Facebook and Instagram – that’s okay. You know what, Mark Zuckerberg, if you're listening: if that’s how you want to run Facebook and Instagram in the 21st century, go ahead. There are other platforms where I can reach my audience and talk about press freedom.”
In this interview, she spoke about the backlash and trolling she has faced since the clip went viral, whether her question crossed the line between journalism and activism, how political accountability works in Norway, and the larger contradiction between Europe’s human rights language and its strategic relationships with nations like India.
Watch.
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