“Journalists have the right to ask questions in a democracy,” the Editors Guild said, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued refusal to hold open press conferences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent interactions with journalists during his Europe visit have drawn criticism from the Editors Guild of India, which described exchanges between Indian officials and reporters in Norway and the Netherlands as “embarrassing” and reflective of growing concerns over press freedom.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the press body said it was concerned by the “stand-offs” that followed Modi’s refusal to take questions from local journalists after official media briefings during his trip to the two European countries.
The remarks came after Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen questioned Modi during a joint media appearance with Norway’s prime minister on May 18, asking why he did not take questions from “the freest press in the world”. Modi left the venue without responding.
The Editors Guild said the episode had once again highlighted the Indian prime minister’s long-standing reluctance to address open press conferences. It noted that Modi has not held an unrestricted press conference in his 12 years in office.
The guild also pointed to India’s position in the World Press Freedom Index, where the country ranks 157th out of 180 nations, compared with Norway and the Netherlands, which occupy the top two spots.
“While there may be differing views on the methodology of international rankings, India’s low position remains a matter of serious concern,” the guild said, adding that shrinking space for independent journalism weakened democratic accountability.
The statement further said western journalists may not fully understand India’s political and historical context, but were justified in insisting that journalists should be allowed to ask questions in a democracy.
The controversy followed a late-night interaction organised by the Indian Embassy in Norway after the initial exchange. During the session, Svendsen questioned Indian officials about human rights concerns and whether Modi would begin taking critical questions from Indian journalists in the future.
Responding on behalf of the Indian delegation, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George defended India’s democratic credentials and spoke about the country’s civilisational history, though he did not directly answer the questions raised.
Separately, during Modi’s visit to the Netherlands earlier that week, Dutch politician Rob Jetten had expressed concern over developments in India relating to press freedom and minority rights.
When asked about those remarks by a Dutch journalist, George said such concerns stemmed from a “lack of understanding” about India and blamed “ignorant NGOs” for shaping perceptions abroad.
The Editors Guild urged the Union government not to view the media as an adversary and said questioning those in power was central to the role of a free press in a democracy.
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