‘Embarrassing’: Editors Guild on PM Modi, Indian delegation’s ‘face-off’ with journalists in Europe

The Editors Guild of India on Sunday described as “embarrassing” recent exchanges between Indian officials and journalists in Norway and the Netherlands during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the two countries.

The press body stated that it was concerned by the “stand-offs”, which were “triggered by the prime minister’s refusal to take questions from local journalists after a press briefing”.

The statement came after Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen on May 18 questioned Modi’s refusal to answer questions from the media.

Svendsen’s question had refocused attention on the Indian prime minister’s refusal to address press conferences.

Norway and the Netherlands are ranked first and second, respectively, in the World Press Freedom Index, while India is ranked 157 out of 180 countries, said the Editors Guild on Sunday.

Although views may differ on the methodology or a possible bias in the international press freedom rankings, India’s “abysmal position” remained “a matter of grave concern” and reflected an increasingly constrained space for the media to discharge its democratic role, it added.

The press body also said that while western journalists might not fully understand India’s history or the role of the Indian press during the freedom movement, they “were right about the need for journalists to ask questions in a democracy”.

“Media restrictions hurt our economy and our society,”...

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