By Admin 
There is an uproar in Norway over the question of a journalist whose question was ignored by Prime Minister Modi. However, the Indian Foreign Ministry has made its stand clear on this. Hayley Ling had written on social media that Norway is at number one in the World Press Freedom Index, while India is at number 157 and is competing with Palestine, UAE and Cuba. Now political analyst in India Tehseen Poonawala has replied to the Norwegian journalist.
Tehseen Poonawala, while replying to Helle Lyng on X, wrote that being an opponent of the current government, my argument about India is a little different. He wrote, ‘There is no doubt that everyone in India will demand even greater freedom of expression and accountability from the media, but we are certainly not Palestine, UAE or Cuba, but far from them.’
I am amongst the voice of the opposition in INDIA & everyday I attack the government on television & social media, am severely critical of the PM & his ministers and no one has ever taken any action against me. I find it offensive you compare my country’s press freedom with… https://t.co/nS8ZyPeO3o
— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) May 18, 2026
The political analyst further told the Norwegian journalist that if you look at my Instagram or Twitter posts or yesterday’s TV commentary, I have described the ministers as spineless. Tax raid is called tax terrorism. Ministers have been described as motivated by nepotism and yet no one arrests me.
Also read- What did PM Modi say in Norway regarding the Iran-America war, know what message he gave to the world?
Poonawalla said, ‘We should try even more for freedom of expression and this is what young India wants, but India is a free country, a prosperous democracy, where no matter how hard the government tries, it cannot curb freedom of expression, it will be very difficult to do so! Best wishes to you and please visit India. Best wishes for all your endeavours.
What did the Norwegian journalist say?
When the Norwegian journalist did not take questions from PM Modi, she had said that she had not expected such a thing from him. Sharing the video, Helle Lyng said, ‘Norway is at first place in the World Press Freedom Index, while India is at 157th place, where it is competing with Palestine, UAE and Cuba. It is our duty to question the powers that be with whom we cooperate.
Prime Minister of India, 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, competing with Palestine, Emirates & Cuba.
It is our job to question the powers we cooperate… pic.twitter.com/vZHYZnAvev
— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) May 18, 2026
Also read- ‘Go, go to court…’, Foreign Ministry angry at PM Modi’s non-answering question in Norway, VIDEO
Journalist gave clarification after controversy escalated
However, after the controversy escalated, Helle Lyng also gave clarification. He wrote, ‘I never thought that I would have to write this, but I am not any kind of foreign spy, sent by any foreign government. My job is journalism and I work mainly in Norway.
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, primarily in Norway now.
— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) May 18, 2026
What did MEA say on this controversy?
After this incident, the same journalist was again present in the press conference of the Ministry of External Affairs. He asked MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George why the world should trust India and whether human rights violations in India would stop. He also asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would start answering tough questions from the Indian media.
Responding to this, Sibi George said that India is not just a country but a five thousand year old continuous civilization. He said that any country is identified by its population, government, sovereignty and territory and India stands strongly in the world with all these values. George said that India has given a lot to the world and during the Corona epidemic, India did not isolate itself from the world, but came forward to help the needy countries. This trust makes the world trust India.