Norwegian journalist claims MHA cancelled her visa for Hyderabad event

Helle Lyng Svendsen was slated to address the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad on November 14, but faced an unexpected setback

HYDERABAD: Norwegian commentator Helle Lyng Svendsen Wednesday said her Indian visa was cancelled just a day after it was issued and barely 10 minutes before she was to leave for the airport to board a flight to Hyderabad for the Bharat Summit.Svendsen was invited to speak at a panel on 'The Future of Media' at the summit on Nov 14. This was to be her first visit to India.The development comes months after Svendsen aimed a question PM Modi during his visit to Oslo on May 18, asking why he was not taking questions from journalists. This was after Modi and Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store had finished making at a joint appearance before the media and were walking away.In a post on X, Svendsen said the cancellation had come on "orders from above" in the home ministry.

In a video message, she questioned the Union home minister why her visa was cancelled.During PM Modi’s Oslo visit, Svenden had also reportedly questioned MEA secretary (west) Sibi George over India’s human rights record, asking why Norway should trust a country where such “violations “ happen.In an email interaction with TOI on Wednesday, the commentator with Oslo-based newspaper Dagsavisen said the Indian embassy in Oslo informed her that she would not be allowed to enter India but did not explain why.

She said the organisers had informed her last week that political clearance had been granted for her participation. After submitting the required documents on Nov 5, she was informed on Nov 10 that her passport, with the visa, was ready for collection.“The Indian embassy called me 10 minutes before I was leaving for the airport to tell me that my visa would not be valid upon entry to India. They did not want to elaborate to me in writing why it had happened, but apologised for the inconvenience,” she told TOI.Svendsens said that subsequently received an email from the embassy confirming that her visa had been cancelled and was no longer valid for travel. She said she had not been asked to submit any further documents or clarifications before the decision.

After her attempt to question PM Modi and her exchange with an MEA secretary, Svendsen was promptly embraced by the opposition and activists back home. She extended support to and lauded CJP’s protests against govt.In the video, Svendsen questioned whether the visa decision was linked to her interaction with Modi in Oslo and her subsequent criticism of the PM and his govt.“It is very unfortunate how much of a hassle it is to host a political conference in the world’s largest democracy,” she said.Svendsen said she had not yet approached Norwegian authorities and would evaluate her next steps.

Reacting to the incident, the Indian National Congress, in a post on X, wrote: “Why are Modi and his govt so afraid of questions?”