MEA slams ‘ignorant NGO reports’ after tense press clash in Oslo
New Delhi: The External Affairs Ministry on Monday slammed the Norwegian media for questioning press freedom, saying many people misunderstand India by reading reports published by “ignorant NGOs”.Addressing a press conference, MEA Secretary (West) CB George engaged in a heated exchange with a journalist and emphasized the wide reach of India’s media ecosystem.“You know how many stories there are. How many breaking news we get every evening. At least 200 TV channels in Delhi alone, in English language, Hindi language and multiple languages. People don’t understand the scale of India,” George said.“People have no understanding. They read one or two news stories published by some goddamn, ignorant NGO, you know, and then come and ask questions,” he added.The ministry said the constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens and provides legal remedies for violation of rights.He said, “We have a constitution that guarantees the rights of the people, the basic rights of the people. We know that women in our country have equal rights, which is very important.”“In 1947, we gave our women the freedom to vote. Together, we won freedom together and they won it themselves. I know, in many countries, women’s right to vote came decades after India gave that freedom. You know, it’s because we believe in equality, we believe in human rights. And what’s the best example of human rights? The right to change the government, the right to vote is what’s happening. And it’s happening in India. We are proud of it,” he added.
