Reddy denied US visit, Gujarat CM cleared: Overseas Congress alleges ‘double standard’

The Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) has accused the Indian government of employing "double standards" by permitting Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to travel to the US for an official visit while denying permission to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for a similar trip. According to a statement from the IOC, the primary aim of Patel's US visit was to foster Telangana as a global hub for education, innovation, skills, and research in collaboration with renowned universities.

The IOC emphasized that advancing education, employment, investment, and opportunities for India's youth should supersede partisan politics. The denial of Reddy's clearance to visit the US, while Patel's travel was approved, was deemed a troubling double standard by the IOC. Patel departed for the US on August 16 to promote the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027.

Reddy, who was in London for a ten-day visit, was scheduled to travel to the US after completing his UK trip but will now return to Hyderabad as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied his request for political clearance. The MEA stated that they evaluate chief minister visits and other dignitaries' proposals before granting clearance, emphasizing that the proposed US visit program did not align with the scope of Reddy's role.

Reddy had previously stated that his US visit aimed to bring top global institutions to India and Telangana under the New Education Policy, emphasizing that youth's aspirations should be pursued beyond political considerations. The IOC also noted that Patel's delegation would proceed as planned, including pursuing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and partnerships with leading institutions such as Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, and Virginia Tech.

The IOC USA condemned the use of political or administrative mechanisms to hinder legitimate initiatives focused on promoting education, investment, innovation, and economic development, asserting that political rivalry should not impede the interests of India's youth and state development.