Political Clearance Denied for Telangana CM's US Visit
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was denied political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for a proposed visit to the United States, a decision that has triggered political accusations from Congress leaders. The MEA said the visit was "not considered appropriate" to the office held and the purpose of the visit, as reported by The Tribune.
Reddy, who was in London as part of his original itinerary, was scheduled to travel to Boston for engagements with universities and institutional partnerships. According to ANI, he said that due to the denial of permission, he would instead board a flight to Hyderabad on August 23, after completing all his scheduled meetings in London. He expressed gratitude to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders for their support, describing it as in the "national interest." He alleged that the denial was for "political reasons" and said he would speak in detail about the matter after reaching Hyderabad, as reported by ANI.
Congress Allegations of Unfair Treatment
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge was among the first to criticise the decision. In a post on X, he said the denial "is becoming part of a disturbing pattern in how the Centre treats southern states." He noted that Reddy's visit, much like his own last year, was in the state's and the country's interest. He called the MEA's explanation "shameful," writing, "What exactly is inappropriate? Visiting leading universities and signing MoUs for your state? Then what is appropriate? Arm-twisting every investment, institution and collaboration towards Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states?" His remarks were carried by ANI.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking in Kalaburagi on Saturday, echoed and expanded on these allegations. He said the denial showed the "mean mentality" of the Union government and accused it of deliberately obstructing investment efforts by opposition-ruled states, as reported by The Tribune and The New Indian Express. Kharge argued that the Centre was " selectively" granting permissions, favouring only those they prefer. He pointed to the large Telangana and Andhra Pradesh diaspora in the US, saying such visits aim to attract investment, engage with the diaspora, and generate employment. "Denying travel permission in such a manner is deeply unfair," he was quoted as saying by The Tribune. He argued that preventing a chief minister from pursuing investment ultimately hurts the entire economy. He also shared an anecdote from his own visit to Texas as labour minister, where he met NRIs from Andhra Pradesh who wanted to invest in India, as reported by Deccan Chronicle.
Kharge asserted, "Those whom the Central government wants to allow are given permission. But here, the permission has been denied to the Chief Minister of Telangana. This is injustice." He added, "A Chief Minister may be there today and may not be there tomorrow, but the investments and industries will remain for decades. The Central government should not have denied permission," as reported by Deccan Chronicle.
Union Minister's Procedural Defense
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said the cancellation was a procedural matter, not a political one. He said neither the BJP nor the Central Government had any direct role in deciding a Chief Minister's foreign travel plans. "However, there are established rules in place since the Congress era," he said, reported by ANI.
According to ANI report, Kishan Reddy explained that any Chief Minister receiving an invitation for an overseas visit must approach the relevant ministry for approval. "Decisions regarding whether such meetings should take place are made through discussions involving the relevant ministry. Clearance is required," he said. He stressed that permission is not guaranteed and that "often, clearance is not granted; even Chief Ministers sometimes do not receive clearance to travel. These protocols have been in effect since the Congress era."
He affirmed that rules apply equally to all parties, saying, "For a Chief Minister to travel abroad or engage in official activities without prior permission is absolutely wrong. This is not a political issue, whether it involves our party or another, but rather a technical matter," as quoted by ANI.
Vande Mataram and Other Controversies
In his Kalaburagi remarks, Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed the Vande Mataram controversy. He defended the Congress decision to sing only the first two stanzas of the national song, saying it was taken more than half a century ago in a meeting attended by Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, as reported by The New Indian Express. He challenged the BJP leaders to declare whether those leaders were traitors, noting that even BJP-ruled states have not implemented the full-song diktat.
Kharge said the Centre should focus on increasing employment and education rather than "digging up unnecessary controversies." He also linked the issue to Prime Minister Modi's call for "need-based policies," saying tha Nehru first implemented such policies, building dams and colleges, as reported by ANI.
The Telegram Government's Response
The Telangana government said earlier that the Chief Minister's engagements were being rescheduled, as reported by ANI. The political row between the ruling Congress and opposition parties continues, with allegations and counter-allegations on selective clearance.
Note: The article's basis in terms of facts and perspectives is drawn from the provided report material.