Hyderabad: The denial of visas and cancellation of travel clearances for several participants expected to attend the Bharat Summit here triggered a political row on Friday, with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and other party leaders strongly criticising the Centre. Addressing a press conference, Revanth Reddy alleged that the BJP had a problem with Rahul Gandhi. Referring to Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen, whose visa was cancelled ahead of the summit, he said a journalist’s role was to ask questions, and it was up to the Prime Minister to answer them or not.
“Modi ji loves dictatorship. Denying a visa because someone questioned him is unheard of,” the Chief Minister said. He alleged that the ministries of external affairs and home affairs had prevented several foreign dignitaries from travelling to India despite holding valid visas. “This is a democratic country, which is evolving,” he said.
Tharoor, who attended the summit, said 115 of the 315 speakers cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs were subsequently denied entry into India or had their visas cancelled, allegedly on the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. In a post on X, Tharoor questioned the legal basis for the decision and said it was unfortunate that a democracy had become so insecure that it sought to suppress voices it feared would be critical.
The controversy also involves Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen, who claimed that her visa was cancelled shortly before her scheduled departure to India. She had been invited to speak at a panel discussion on ‘The Future of Media’ at the summit on November 14 and had earlier questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Oslo in May.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also accused the BJP of attempting to sabotage the summit by cancelling a large number of visas. He said the event provided an opportunity to discuss important international issues and hear the views of national leaders, including Rahul Gandhi. He said it was unfortunate that a government in a democracy was allegedly trying to prevent discussion and the exchange of ideas.
The two-day Bharat Summit, being held in Hyderabad on November 13 and 14, has brought together delegates, policymakers, elected representatives and intellectuals from more than 70 countries to discuss democracy, climate change, artificial intelligence and global cooperation.
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