A Norwegian journalist who publicly challenged Narendra Modi over press freedom in India during his visit to Oslo has claimed that her Instagram and Facebook accounts were suspended days after the exchange triggered a political controversy.
Helle Lyng, an Oslo-based reporter with the newspaper Dagsavisen, said on Wednesday that she had been locked out of both Meta-owned platforms following a wave of attention surrounding her questioning of the Indian prime minister and senior diplomats.
“If you’re trying to reach me on Instagram or Facebook, I would like to let you know I have been suspended from both accounts. I have wanted to respond to as many Indians as possible, but my responses will now be delayed. I hope I will get my accounts back,” she wrote on X, tagging Meta.
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The dispute began earlier this week during a joint appearance in Oslo by Mr Modi and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The two leaders had announced they would not be taking questions from journalists. As they walked away from the podium, Ms Lyng called out: “Prime minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”
It is unclear if Mr Modi heard the question, as he did not respond and continued leaving the room.
The moment quickly spread online, fuelling debate in India over press freedom, political accountability, and the prime minister’s long-standing refusal to hold solo press conferences.
Mr Modi has not held a traditional press conference since taking office in 2014 and rarely answers direct questions from journalists during foreign visits.
Also relevant from the Independent:
The video begins with “Narendra Modi” enthusiastically shaking hands with a foreign leader, before it dissolves into bursts of laughter, an exaggerated hug and a candid look to the camera mid-conversation. The English is deliberately garbled, the pauses theatrical, but the mannerisms unmistakable. As a satire of India’s prime minister it is sharp, absurd, and instantly recognisable.
Posted on Instagram by comedian Pulkit Mani, the reel captioned “POV: How Moody Gee Greets Foreign Ministers” racked up more than 16 million views before it suddenly disappeared for users in India.
In its place now sits a stark notice saying access to the content has been restricted “pursuant to a legal request” from the government under the country’s information technology laws.