Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP government for denying US travel permission to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. He accused the Centre of selective clearances, undermining federalism, and stalling state-level investment initiatives.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday 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.
Revanth Reddy was denied permission by the Centre to visit the US, with Congress alleging party politics by the BJP. 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.
Centre undermining federalism, says Kharge
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.
"When foreign investment enters a state, it benefits the state, strengthens the nation, and creates employment opportunities. The Central Government is deliberately blocking these efforts, operating under the mindset that all investments should be routed exclusively through them rather than allowing direct regional engagement. This approach is fundamentally wrong, and I strongly condemn it," he added.
'Nehru's vision more far-reaching than Modi's'
Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that policies should be formulated based on the country and its people's needs rather than forcing the nation to adapt to policies, Kharge asserted that this blueprint was originally envisioned and executed by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Prime Minister Modi speaks of implementing a need-based policy, yet that is precisely the blueprint established by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Addressing the needs of his era, Nehru established Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and laid the foundation for IITs, IIMs, and premier medical institutions. Nehru's vision was far grander and more far-reaching than Mr Modi's," Kharge said, noting that during his own tenure as Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Skill Development Centres were established in Gulbarga and Bengaluru in collaboration with Germany to enhance youth employability.
Vande Mataram row a 'manufactured debate'
Taking aim at the BJP over the ongoing controversy surrounding the national song Vande Mataram, the Congress chief dismissed the issue as a manufactured debate intended to polarise the public.
Kharge said, "In 1937, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Subhash Chandra Bose collectively decided that the first two lines should be sung. We have faithfully sung those same lines for 90 years. Does honouring that decision make us anti-national? If so, were Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel anti-national as well? Bringing up this issue after decades in power serves no purpose other than the deliberate politics of polarisation." (ANI)
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