Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng has come under the spotlight after attempting to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Norway, triggering a wider debate on press freedom and media access. 

Question shouted at PM Modi goes viral

The controversy began after Lyng attempted to question PM Modi following his joint media briefing with Norway’s Prime Minister.

“Why don't you take some questions from the freest press in the world?” Lyng shouted as PM Modi exited the room. It remains unclear whether the Prime Minister heard the question before leaving.

Soon after, clips of the moment spread widely across social media, fuelling discussions around media freedom and political accountability.

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Lyng later defended her remarks in a post on X.

“Narendra Modi would not take my question; I was not expecting him to. Norway has the number one spot on the World Press Freedom Index, India is at 157th,” she wrote.

As the debate intensified online, the Indian embassy in Norway publicly tagged Lyng and invited her to a separate media briefing later in the day.

Tense exchange during MEA briefing

The later interaction with Indian officials also turned tense.

During the briefing, Lyng raised questions about India’s credibility and human rights record. Sibi George, Secretary (West) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, responded with remarks referencing India’s civilisation, yoga, chess and the country’s Covid-19 vaccine diplomacy.

The exchange attracted further attention online, with several users focusing on George’s facial expressions and gestures during the interaction.

At one point during the briefing, Lyng briefly walked out of the room before later returning.

Online scrutiny and allegations

As videos from the exchange circulated online, Lyng became the target of intense scrutiny and trolling on social media.

Some users described her as a “foreign plant”, a “spy” and a “Chinese proxy”, citing some of her earlier articles that praised Xi Jinping and China.

Others pointed out that the event involving PM Modi was a joint media briefing with Norway’s Prime Minister rather than a standalone press conference.

At the same time, several social media users defended Lyng, arguing that PM Modi has not held a formal press conference since becoming Prime Minister in 2014.

As the allegations mounted online, Lyng issued a clarification on X.

“I never thought I would have to write this, but I am not a foreign spy of any sort, sent out by any foreign government. My work is journalism,” she posted.

Spotlight on her social media activity

The controversy also brought renewed attention to Lyng’s social media presence.

Before her post on PM Modi, her previous activity on X dated back to April 10, 2024, when she shared an article on young people struggling with cocaine addiction. Before that, her account had seen limited activity, including a 2021 repost featuring PM Modi and other global leaders during the G20 Rome Summit.

Some users suggested the timing of her recent posts and account verification was suspicious. Others claimed she had been “planted” to “embarrass” India internationally.

Lyng denied those claims and said she was more active on other platforms.

“I verified (X) myself today, because I had a typo I wanted to edit, and I had to pay to edit it. Then I got the blue mark. And yes, I am usually more active on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook,” she wrote.

The attention has significantly boosted her social media following. Her X account reportedly had fewer than 800 followers before the controversy and has since crossed 17,000 followers.

Who is Helle Lyng?

According to her profile on Muck Rack, Lyng has worked as a freelancer for several Norwegian publications and MSN. She currently works as a commentator with Dagsavisen, an Oslo-based newspaper.

Her previous work includes articles critical of former US President Donald Trump. One reported headline read: “F**k you, Trump”.

At the same time, several of her articles have praised China and President Xi Jinping. She has also written critically about Elon Musk and Tesla.

Political reactions in India

The controversy soon spilled into Indian politics.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Modi over the incident.

“When there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear. What happens to India's image when the world sees a compromised PM panic and run from a few questions?” Gandhi wrote on X.

Hours later, Lyng publicly asked Gandhi if he would be available for an interview.

“Hello, would you be available for a phone interview... It would be interesting to hear how you view the (PM's) visit to Norway,” she posted.

At the time of reporting, Gandhi had not publicly responded.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the controversy and criticised Lyng’s conduct.

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya described her as a “delinquent journalist” and argued that Norway’s Prime Minister also did not take questions during the event.

“The lunatic Congress ecosystem led by Rahul Gandhi is crowing over a delinquent journalist's incoherent rant. One wonders if, like the journalist in question, the Congress leadership is also on the take of those who do not want to see a strong and powerful India,” Malviya posted.

What began as a brief exchange at a diplomatic event has since evolved into a larger political and social media controversy, reigniting debate around press freedom, media access and online scrutiny.