Centre blocked my US visit on political grounds, alleges Telangana CM Revanth Reddy

He contrasted the decision with the clearance given to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who, Reddy said, had been travelling in Canada and the US to attract investment to his state.

In Short

• Reddy contrasts denial with clearance given to Gujarat CM
• MEA says Reddy's US programme inappropriate for his office and purpose
• Despite denial, Telangana officials proceed with US visit

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday alleged that the Centre had denied him permission to visit the United States on “political grounds” to obstruct investment in the Congress-ruled state.

Reddy said he had applied for political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs in the prescribed format but received a one-line response rejecting his request.

“What does ‘political grounds’ mean? What is the reason behind this political decision?” he asked.

Reddy alleged that the clearance was denied because he was a Congress Chief Minister and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of preventing him from promoting Telangana in the US.

He contrasted the decision with the clearance given to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who, Reddy said, had been travelling in Canada and the US to attract investment to his state.

“Narendra Modi and Bhupendra Patel belong to Gujarat, and permission has been given to the Gujarat Chief Minister to visit the US. For nearly eight days, he has been travelling across Canada and the US, conducting roadshows to attract investments to Gujarat,” Reddy said.

The Telangana Chief Minister alleged that the Centre wanted to discourage investors from considering the state.

“They are deliberately creating obstacles to investment in Telangana. They want to send a message to the world that anyone who invests in Telangana will face consequences,” he said.

Reddy also accused the Centre of being reluctant to support Telangana’s development over the past 30 months, citing the Regional Ring Road and Metro Rail projects.

“Narendra Modi appears to be thinking of himself as an ambassador for Gujarat. He does not want other parts of the country to grow,” he said.

MEA EXPLAINS DENIAL OF CLEARANCE

Reddy’s allegations came days after the Ministry of External Affairs said the proposed programme in the US was not appropriate to the office he holds or the stated purpose of the visit.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that foreign visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries were assessed before political clearance was granted.

“The programme proposed in such cases should be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit. In this particular case, that was not so in respect of the US,” Jaiswal said.

He added that Reddy’s visit to the United Kingdom had been cleared.

Reddy, however, maintained that his planned US engagements were intended to attract investment and bring leading global educational institutions to Telangana.

“Not just America, but any country in the world. If they are going to come and invest in my state, within the regulations made by the Government of India, we want to welcome everyone and protect their investment,” he said.

OVERSEAS CONGRESS ALLEGES DOUBLE STANDARD

The Indian Overseas Congress USA’s Telangana Chapter said it was “deeply disappointed” by the Centre’s decision.

The organisation questioned why Reddy was denied clearance while the Gujarat Chief Minister was permitted to visit the US. George Abraham, vice-chairman of IOC-USA, called it a “troubling and unmistakable double standard”.

The IOC said initiatives related to education, employment and investment should remain above party politics.

“The IOC USA strongly condemns the use of political or administrative mechanisms to impede legitimate initiatives aimed at promoting education, investment, innovation and economic development,” it said.

It added that political rivalry should not obstruct initiatives linked to the interests of young people and the development of states.

The organisation said thousands of members of the Telangana diaspora had registered to attend a reception for Reddy in the US.

“Political clearance may be denied, but Telangana’s aspirations cannot be denied. The momentum behind Telangana Rising will continue,” it said.

WHAT REDDY HAD PLANNED IN US

Reddy was scheduled to travel to the US after completing his United Kingdom visit on August 23.

His proposed programme included a public reception in New York and meetings with leading universities and other institutions. The visit was part of preparations for the Telangana Rising 2047 summit, scheduled for December 7, 8 and 9.

Reddy said the government planned to invite investors, universities and sports academies to participate in the summit.

During the UK leg of the tour, the Telangana delegation visited Oxford University, the London Business School and other institutions.

In the US, the state planned engagements with Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and Virginia Tech. The proposed talks were aimed at securing academic partnerships and positioning Hyderabad as a centre for education, innovation, skills and research.

Reddy said the initiative was intended to bring leading global institutions to Hyderabad and provide young people with access to education and training.

Despite the denial of political clearance, Reddy directed the state government’s official delegation to proceed to the US. The officials are expected to hold the scheduled meetings and pursue proposed agreements with American institutions.

- Ends