A Norwegian journalist, biased rankings, and a heavy-handed government |
The Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng opened a can of worms by sanctimoniously preaching press freedom and human rights to India. There were several takeaways from the ensuing brouhaha. The Ministry of External Affairs’ long-winded discourse on India’s history and civilisation in response to the question at hand as to why Norway should trust us simply digressed, unnecessarily making a mountain out of a molehill.
Lyng’s query also drew attention to the fact that our articulate PM opts not to field questions from the media, either at home or abroad. Still, that is not exactly a major media freedom issue, as is being made out. Other world leaders also shy away from speaking extempore.
But what rankled many Indians was Lyng piously quoting Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 Press Freedom Index, which ranked India a lowly 157th. It’s true that standards of press freedom have plummeted of late. Even then, can a report card which places countries such as Burundi, Hong Kong, Singapore, Congo, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Kuwait and Jordan above India be taken seriously? Middle Eastern countries are ruled mostly by despotic monarchs, where a whisper against the government can lead to........