'Insult to 4cr people of Telangana': CM Reddy flays Centre over US visit block

Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy has harshly criticized the central government for allegedly insulting the state's 4 crore citizens by refusing to grant permission for his visit to the United States. Reddy asserts that the decision reflects the Centre's discrimination against Telangana and intends to raise the issue in Parliament.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) assessed Reddy's proposal and rejected his request, citing political reasons. The minister inquired about the inconsistency: if there was no political motive behind his proposed trip to the United Kingdom, why was permission for the United States denied? He also questioned the allowance of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to visit the US and Canada from August 17 to 24 as part of the Vibrant Gujarat 2047 initiative, while his proposed US visit under Telangana Rising 2047 was rejected.

Reddy emphasized that this is the sole political reason for the refusal of his US visit, adding that they welcome all foreign investors, regardless of the country, and aim to capitalize on their investments and generate profit for Telangana. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries are evaluated by the ministry to ensure the proposed programme aligns with the official position and the purpose of the visit.

In this case, the MEA deemed the program inappropriate for Reddy's position and the visit's purpose, leading to the denial of clearance.