‘Common Sense…’: Ex Norway Minister Tells Journalist To ‘Check Facts’ After PM Modi Question Row

Key points

• ‘Common Sense…’: Ex Norway Minister Tells Journalist To ‘Check Facts’ After PM Modi Question Row Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 22:25 IST Speaking to CNN-News18, Erik Solheim dismissed the incident as an overblown controversy driven by what he described as selective narratives about India.
• Calling the episode a “minor incident,” Erik Solheim said it could have been easily avoided.
• Norway environment and international development minister Erik Solheim weighed in on the controversy involving Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, saying her questioning of Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected “limited knowledge" and a lack of factual grounding.
• Speaking to CNN-News18, Erik Solheim dismissed the incident as an overblown controversy driven by what he described as selective and misleading narratives about India’s press freedom rankings.
• “I think it is just an incident of an immature journalist who has, so to say, a very limited knowledge and understanding of India and is running...