MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George on Monday night strongly defended India’s human rights record and democratic framework during a Ministry of External Affairs press briefing in Norway after a female Norwegian journalist repeatedly interrupted Indian diplomats and questioned why India should be “trusted” on press freedom, minority rights and human rights.

The exchange took place during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway as part of his ongoing Europe tour.

George rejected the criticism and said views on India were often formed without understanding the country’s scale and complexity. At one point during the interaction, the reporter briefly walked out of the briefing room before later returning to the presser.

Responding to the questions, George said critics did not fully understand India’s media landscape and scale.

“You know how many stories are up here [in India]. We have a lot of breaking news coming every day in the evening. At least 200 TV channels in Delhi alone, in English, Hindi and multiple languages. People have no understanding of the scale of India,” he said.

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He also accused India’s critics of relying on selective reports published by NGOs. “They [India's critics] read one or two news reports published by some godforsaken, ignorant NGOs and then come and ask questions,” the senior diplomat added.

George also pointed to India’s constitutional guarantees and democratic institutions while rebutting the allegations raised during the briefing, and said the Constitution ensured fundamental rights for all citizens and provided legal remedies in cases of violations.

The MEA official further highlighted India granting voting rights to women immediately after Independence, contrasting it with several countries where women got franchise rights decades later. “We have a Constitution which guarantees the rights of the people, fundamental rights of the people. We have equal rights for the women of our country, which is very important,” George said. “In 1947, we gave the freedom to vote for our women. Many countries, I know, the voting right for women came several decades after India gave that freedom,” he added.

George said India’s electoral democracy remained the strongest proof of its commitment to equality and human rights. “What is the best example of human rights? The right to change government, the right to vote. And that is what is happening in India. We are so proud of that,” he said.

Published on: May 19, 2026 10:09 AM IST