‘Proud to be a democracy’: MEA responds to Norwegian press over PM Modi not taking questions
- On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to forgo a live press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo triggered a tense confrontation at a Ministry of External Affairs briefing.
- This marks the second time during the European tour that the government faced criticism over Modi's refusal to take questions, following similar objections raised by Dutch journalists during the Saturday visit to the Netherlands.
- At the briefing, MEA Secretary Sibi George defended India's "5,000-year-old continuous civilisation" after a Norwegian journalist questioned officials on press freedom and alleged human rights concerns.
- Secretary George told The Hindu "categorically" that no host government requested Modi to answer press questions, asserting media interactions remain his official responsibility during the visit.
- Norway holds the top spot on the World Press Freedom Index while India ranks 157th, a disparity critics highlighted during the confrontation. Modi is scheduled to continue his tour in Italy today.
19 Articles
19 Articles
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Norway’s PM took questions. Modi left Indian envoy to face Norwegian media
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had just walked off stage without taking a single question from journalists, including one shouted at him by Norwegian commentator Helle Lyng of Dagsavisen. What followed, when MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George and other ministry officials faced the media, was one of the more revealing diplomatic exchanges of Modi’s five-nation tour.Lyng had already made her position clear before the briefing even began. As…
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