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A controversy that began during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Oslo has now taken a new political turn after Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng reached out to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking an interview. The development has followed days of controversy after Lyng’s question in the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and PM Modi’s joint press interaction resulted in a few comments in India, and on social media. The journalist’s X activity has added fuel to the fire of the debate on press freedom, diplomatic ethics and political communication.

What Was The Controversy About?

The disagreement started when Heather asked PM Modi at the end of the formal media briefing in Oslo, asking him ‘why don’t you take questions from the freest press in the world?’. The comment was soon retweeted by many, sparking a lot of positive and negative feedback from people about the Indian government. The exchange also sparked further political controversy in India, as opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi claimed that the PM was shying away from tough questions and looked for a ‘controlled’ environment for the media. Gandhi also condemned the government’s ‘running away from questions’, fueling political tensions about the incident.

Helle Lyng Reaches Out To Rahul Gandhi For Interview

As the exchange heated up, Lyng later on responded to Rahul Gandhi’s comments on social media, and sought an interview with Gandhi on the phone. In the message, she expressed interest in knowing his view on the visit to Norway by the Prime Minister and the political debate that it has generated. It is still unclear what the Congress leader will say in the public domain and it has led to more speculations in political and media circles. The relationship has become a new twist in an already delicate diplomatic and news communications spat.

Social Media Reactions

Did Helle Lyng Deactivate Her Account?

The episode has also had political reactions and comments from within India. While a few BJP leaders accused sections of the opposition for making the question a ‘big noise’ to taint India’s international image, a few sides supported PM Modi pointing out that even the Norwegian Prime Minister did not accept any questions in the interaction. In the meantime, Heather has been criticized and supported on social media for her effort, with some saying she was trying to provoke an answer and others saying she had the right to ask the hard questions. Former Norwegian minister Erik Solheim also weighed in, noting that her comments ‘lacked context’, and Lyng herself said she was the target of social media ‘backlash and suspensions,’ which is ‘a price for press freedom.’

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