"Assault on pride": BRS questions Centre on denying CM's US visit

BRS leader Dasoju Sravan Kumar and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Centre for denying political clearance for Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's US visit, calling it an "assault on pride" and an attempt to stall state investments.

BRS Slams 'Assault on Pride'

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Dasoju Sravan Kumar on Friday questioned the Centre's decision to deny political clearance to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's proposed US visit, calling it an "assault on the pride" of the state. He demanded an explanation from both the Chief Minister and the Ministry of External Affairs. His remark comes after Reddy was denied permission by the Centre to visit the US. Speaking to ANI, Sravan said, "... To deny permission to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to visit America is not an ordinary event. It is an extraordinary and unwanted event, and more than that, it is an assault on the pride of Telangana and the four crore people of Telangana. We appeal to both Revanth Reddy and the Ministry of External Affairs to explain why his trip was cancelled, or permission was denied."

MEA Cites Appropriateness of Visit

However, the MEA had clarified that his visit was not considered appropriate "to the office held and the purpose of the visit", and therefore political clearance was not granted.

'Undermining Federalism': Congress Hits Out at Centre

Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for denying permission to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his proposed visit to the United States, accusing the Centre of granting foreign travel clearances "selectively" to stall state-level investment initiatives. Addressing reporters in Kalaburagi, Kharge stated that Chief Ministers travel abroad to engage with the Indian diaspora and secure foreign direct investments that create local employment, warning that blocking such efforts undermines federalism.

"They grant permissions selectively, favouring only those they prefer. He serves as the Chief Minister of Telangana, and a vast diaspora of NRIs from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh reside in the United States. When these individuals wish to invest back home or establish industries, they naturally approach the leadership. It is for this reason that Chief Ministers visit nations like the US and the UK -- to identify potential avenues for capital investment. Denying travel permission in such a manner is deeply unfair," Kharge said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)