Diaspora body questions Centre’s decision, while Telangana delegation proceeds with planned university engagements
The Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) USA’s Telangana chapter has expressed “deep disappointment” over the Centre’s decision to deny political clearance for Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s planned visit to the United States.
Reddy was scheduled to travel to the US after completing the UK leg of his 10-day overseas tour. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not approve the US portion of the trip, saying the proposed programme was not considered appropriate for the office held and the purpose of the visit. His UK visit had been cleared.
The IOC said the proposed US visit was aimed at strengthening Telangana’s links with leading American universities and promoting Hyderabad as a centre for education, innovation, skills and research. Reddy had also said the trip was intended to bring global educational institutions closer to Telangana’s youth.
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George Abraham, vice-chairman of IOC-USA, questioned why Reddy’s visit was denied while Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had been permitted to travel to the US
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He described the differing decisions as a “double standard” and said initiatives related to education, employment and investment should remain above partisan politics.
Despite the denial, Reddy instructed the official Telangana delegation to continue with its US programme. Officials are expected to pursue proposed memorandums of understanding and partnerships with institutions including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and Virginia Tech.
The IOC Telangana chapter said thousands of members of the Indian diaspora had registered to attend a planned reception for Reddy in the US.
Reddy, who was in London, was scheduled to return to Hyderabad on August 23 instead of proceeding to Boston and New York. The controversy has brought renewed attention to the Centre’s role in approving foreign visits by chief ministers and the political clearance process.
