A Norwegian “journalist” named Helle Lyng recently sought to heckle Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the name of a query over “human rights violations” in India following his media statement with his counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre in the European country. The unprofessional intervention transpired when he was already on his way to leave the podium.
Notably, while the alleged journalist from media house “Dagsavisen” continued to promote her anti-India rhetoric under the guise of press freedom, former Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen recently came under fire for his bigotry and hatred towards Indians. “Have you heard the saying, when you meet an Indian & a snake, k*ll the Indian first,” he stated in a revealed document tied to the notorious Jeffrey Epstein case.
The offensive comment emerged in an email found among materials disclosed by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), which released approximately three million pages in relation to convicted sex offender and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Terje had expressed his opinion over a note from an Indian politician that Epstein sent to him. The email was dated 25th December 2015 and was exposed in February of this year.
Epstein Files: Norwegian Diplomat Makes Anti-India Comment: 'Have You Heard The Saying, When You Meet An Indian & A Snake, K*ll The Indian First!'
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) February 2, 2026
That's Terje Rod-Larsen – president of the International Peace Institute… pic.twitter.com/TczAHrX3UG
Terje was president of the International Peace Institute and a United Nations envoy. He quit from the institute in 2020 after his name was affiliated with Jeffrey Epstein. He also admitted to meeting Epstein and claimed that maintaining communication in the wake of his conviction in 2008 was an alleged error in judgment.
MEA schooled Helle Lyng
Indian Embassy in Norway quoted Lyng and informed her about the press meet that was scheduled later that day. The Embassy wrote, “The Embassy is organising a press briefing on the Prime Minister’s Visit this evening at 9:30 pm at the Radisson Blu Plaza hotel. You are most welcome to come and ask your questions there.”
She once more attempted to transform the event into a spectacle but received a strong response from the Ministry of External Affairs. Sibi George, the Secretary in the Ministry, recounted India’s remarkable performance on the global stage, particularly during crises such as the COVID pandemic, drawing attention to the Global South and beyond.
He reminded her that India is a vibrant civilisation with a history of 5000 years. It is the largest democracy in the world, where every citizen possesses fundamental rights and can seek judicial recourse if those rights are infringed upon. “People read one or two news reports published by some godforsaken, ignorant NGOs and then come and ask questions. Don’t worry about it. We are proud to be a democracy,” he further retorted.
