![\"Gul](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-131263452,imgsize-103116,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/mjjgjhjhjhhgjgghgjhdsjhjhhgjhdfhgddssjjhsjhjjhgjhh.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nActor Gul Panag<\/a> has reacted strongly to YouTuber Dhruv Rathee after his controversial comments targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/a> during the latter\u2019s recent Norway visit sparked debate online. The exchange has generated intense discussions across social media, with opinions sharply divided over criticism, accountability and respect for public office.Known for films like \u2018Dhoop\u2019, \u2018Manorama Six Feet Under\u2019 and \u2018Ab Tak Chhappan 2\u2019, Gul took to X, formerly Twitter, to express her disagreement with Rathee\u2019s statements.<\/p>\n The controversy erupted after Dhruv Rathee criticised PM Modi following a joint press briefing in Norway with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St\u00f8re. During the interaction, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng attempted to ask a question, but the Indian Prime Minister reportedly chose not to respond and walked away.Reacting to the moment online, Rathee shared a series of strongly worded posts against the Prime Minister. In one tweet, he claimed Modi \u201cdeserves to be humiliated everywhere he goes\u201d and criticised him for allegedly avoiding press conferences during his tenure.The YouTuber further encouraged foreign journalists to question the Prime Minister publicly. \u201cEmbarrass him so much that he is forced to show some accountability in front of people,\u201d Rathee wrote, adding that such actions would be a \u201cgreat service for India\u2019s progress.\u201d<\/p>\n Rathee\u2019s comments did not sit well with Gul Panag, who publicly called out the YouTuber for what she described as crossing a line between criticism and disrespect. She further explained that disagreement with a government or political leader is completely valid in a democracy, but mocking the office of the Prime Minister on foreign soil was inappropriate in her opinion.\u201cOne may dislike a Prime Minister, disagree with a government, protest, debate and vote differently,\u201d she stated, before adding, \u201cReducing the office of India\u2019s Prime Minister, the man, the office, and what he represents abroad, to a joke on foreign soil doesn\u2019t feel like the right thing or dissent to me.\u201dThe actor also stressed that comments directed at the Prime Minister can reflect on the institution itself and, by extension, the country. \u201cIt diminishes him, the institution, and ultimately, us,\u201d Gul wrote in her concluding remarks. Her response quickly gained traction online, with some users supporting her stance on maintaining respect for constitutional offices, while others defended Rathee\u2019s criticism as part of democratic freedom of expression.<\/p>\n Amid the controversy, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng also became the target of online criticism from sections of Indian social media. Several users accused her of attempting to embarrass the country during an international event. The incident has since evolved into a larger online debate surrounding political criticism, press accountability and the boundaries of public dissent in a democracy.<\/div>\nDhruv Rathee\u2019s comments trigger controversy<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Gul Panag’s take on Dhruv Rathee\u2019s comments<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Journalist Helle Lyng also faced online backlash<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n