Hafta 590: The Norway question that shook Modi’s tour and Press Freedom
From NL Hafta by Newslaundry.com
May 23, 2026 · 1h 32m
About this episode
The episode discusses PM Modi's visit to Norway and the implications for press freedom in India.
This week on Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Anand Vardhan are joined by Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Affairs Editor at The Hindu . In this week’s episode, the discussion moves from PM Modi’s Europe tour, particularly his visit to Norway, to press freedom. Suhasini Haidar, who was present at the venue in Oslo, describes how shocked Norwegian journalists were to learn that the Indian Prime Minister would not be taking questions at all. She says, “We have so normalised in the Indian media this idea that the prime minister doesn’t take unscripted questions, that we didn’t even clock how big a deal it was for Europeans.” Haidar criticises the way the focus shifts to attacking the reporter’s background, ideology, and even personal life, rather than engaging with the issue she raised. “The focus became about that journalist — who she is, what her background is, where she goes on vacation. It’s not about the question anymore. It is about the fact that the prime minister does not take unscripted questions.” Abhinandan Sekhri points out how deeply normalised this culture has become in India. “It is so alien to journalists outside India. They are shocked…
People in this episode
Hosts: Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Anand Vardhan
Guest: Suhasini Haidar
Topics covered
- Modi's Europe tour
- press freedom
- journalism
- media culture
- political communication
Keywords
- Modi
- Norway
- press freedom
- journalism
- media
- Suhasini Haidar
- Oslo
- Indian media
- political communication
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Hindu
Places: Norway, India, Oslo
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