Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who went viral after shouting a question at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a media event in Norway, has now claimed that her Instagram and Facebook accounts were suspended amid intense online backlash. Lyng said she lost access to her Meta-owned accounts after the controversy exploded online. She later posted on X saying, “It is a small price to pay for press freedom,” while also rejecting allegations that she was acting as a “foreign spy” or “Chinese proxy.”

A dramatic moment during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway has gone viral after Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng shouted a question on press freedom as Modi exited a media event in Oslo. The journalist asked why PM Modi does not take questions from “the freest press in the world,” referring to Norway’s top ranking on the World Press Freedom Index. The clip quickly exploded online and triggered sharp political reactions in India. Later, India’s Embassy in Oslo invited the journalist to an official media briefing where MEA Secretary Sibi George strongly defended India’s democratic system, media ecosystem and constitutional framework. He said international perceptions about India are often shaped by “ignorant NGOs.”