Exclusive | Helle Lyng interview: ‘Pretty sure Modi heard me; we had eye contact’

Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Norway, has said she was surprised by the scale of backlash she faced online and on television after the incident.

In an exclusive interview with The Federal, Lyng said she had “eye contact” with Modi after raising a question on press freedom and claimed the controversy sparked a wider debate about journalism and media culture in India.

Did you expect this moment to attract so much attention? Have you questioned other world leaders like this before?

Yes. I have questioned other heads of State before. I called out to Donald Trump multiple times at the White House, but the difference is that he usually takes questions and opens the floor for journalists. I also tried asking Joe Biden questions while covering Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to Washington in 2024. So I’m not new to this. But this situation was different.

Also read: Who is Helle Lyng? Norwegian journalist faces scrutiny after questioning PM Modi

Were you surprised by the backlash after questioning Prime Minister Modi?

I’m not new to powerful people refusing to answer questions, but I’m definitely new to this level of backlash. I’ve never experienced anything comparable in my career.

Did you expect your social media accounts to be taken down?

Never in a million years. I kept wondering why the incident went so viral in India. I think it touched something deeper. Some people became angry, while others who wanted tougher questions directed at powerful leaders amplified it.

Also read: The roaring controversy over Modi's press meet in Norway

You were heavily grilled on some Indian TV channels. What was that experience like?

It felt surreal. I agreed to interviews, including with people who were critical of me, because I think criticism is fine. But being grilled continuously for 20 minutes by television anchors instead of politicians felt strange.

They criticised me for asking a tough question and also accused me of taking sides, even though I didn’t. At the same time, many of them were openly taking sides themselves.

What impression did you get of Indian media?

One important thing to remember is that journalism in India was not always like this. Press freedom has changed dramatically over the years.

At the same time, I’ve also met many excellent independent journalists in India working under very difficult conditions. I hope this controversy directs more attention towards them.

Also read: ‘Colonial mindset’: Outrage after Norwegian newspaper depicts Modi as snake charmer

Do you think critical journalism is declining globally?

Journalism is under pressure in many countries, including Western countries and the United States. But in India, the issue feels more serious because journalists with access to the Prime Minister often do not ask critical questions. I don’t know if they even can without fearing consequences.

There are many good reporters in India still trying to do this work, but they face difficult conditions and backlash.

When you asked PM Modi the question, do you believe he heard you?

Yes. I’m pretty sure he heard me. We had eye contact when he was standing near the elevator. I also tried asking another question as the elevator doors were closing.

That room was not very big, and I have a loud voice. Unless there was some hearing problem I don’t know about, I’m certain he heard me.

Also read: Rahul slams Modi over 'running away' from Norway media: 'A compromised PM'

You said no other journalists asked similar questions that day. Did that surprise you?

Yes, honestly. I wish more journalists had raised questions. Sometimes, even in Norway, journalists don’t challenge the premise of an event, especially when dealing with foreign leaders.

But I felt it was important to question why such a powerful leader would only present talking points without taking questions.

Many Indian television anchors accused you of seeking attention or publicity. How do you respond to that?

That criticism is okay with me. It was never about me. I didn’t even put myself in the video clip I posted online. I posted it because I wanted to start a discussion about press freedom.

Ironically, the same people accusing me of seeking attention were the ones constantly discussing me on television.

If you had been allowed to ask PM Modi a full question, what would you have asked?

I would have asked why he does not hold press conferences in India and why he does not take critical questions from independent journalists or major media outlets committed to factual reporting.

Now that I’ve learned much more about India over the last week, I have many more questions too.

At the MEA media briefing, you asked why Norway should trust India. What did you mean by that?

I meant it in a broader sense. Nordic countries are strengthening ties with India and elevating India’s global role. So my question was whether India would also take concerns around accountability and democratic values seriously.

That was a natural question for any journalist to ask.

There were claims that you stormed out of the briefing after not getting a satisfactory answer. What actually happened?

That was false. I walked out briefly to get water and returned within 30 or 40 seconds. The water machine was outside the room.

Some media outlets tried to frame it as though I left dramatically and never came back, which simply wasn’t true.

How did you react to allegations calling you a Chinese spy or accusing you of being funded by George Soros?

I was shocked. There was zero evidence behind those accusations. I’m just a small-town journalist from Norway trying to ask critical questions.

Some people spreading these claims didn’t seem interested in facts at all.

What did Norwegian media focus on while covering this controversy?

In Norway, the focus was more on the actual issue — press freedom and why I asked the question — rather than turning it into a personal controversy.

You mentioned hearing the term “Godi media”. Were you familiar with it before?

I had read about the term while researching press freedom in India before this happened. But I don’t think you fully understand something like that until you experience it directly.

I had never experienced media so openly supportive of a government before.

Do you feel proud that this sparked wider conversations about press freedom?

Yes. After everything that happened this week, I am proud of the work I did. I stand by it completely and would not do anything differently.

Would you visit India in the future after this experience?

Yes, absolutely. I would love to visit India one day. But now I would need to think more carefully about safety and speak with the Norwegian Embassy before making such a trip.

No matter what, I will definitely visit India at some point in my life.

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)