Revanth Reddy US Visit: IOC Questions Clearance Denial, Alleges Double Standard

The Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) USA Telangana Chapter has condemned the Centre’s decision to deny political clearance to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his planned visit to the United States, calling it disappointing and a case of unequal treatment.

Reddy, who was in London, had planned to travel to the US after concluding his UK visit on August 23. His proposed US itinerary included a public reception in New York and engagements with leading American academic institutions.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday that it assesses visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries before granting political clearance. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the proposed programme must be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit.

“In this particular case, that was not so in respect of the US,” Jaiswal said, adding that clearance had therefore not been granted. He said Reddy’s visit to the UK had been cleared.

The IOC Telangana Chapter said the US visit was aimed at advancing Telangana’s efforts to make Hyderabad a global hub for education, innovation, skills and research through partnerships with leading universities.

Reddy had said the trip was intended to bring some of the world’s top educational institutions to Telangana as part of the broader objectives of the National Education Policy. He said such partnerships could help Indian students access global education, skills and training opportunities.

“I have always believed we should all think beyond politics and elections when it comes to nation-building and the future of the youth,” Reddy said in response to the denial.

George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of IOC-USA, said initiatives focused on education, employment, investment and opportunities for young Indians should remain above partisan politics. He also questioned why Reddy had been denied clearance while Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was permitted to visit the US, describing it as a troubling double standard.

The Telangana Chapter said Reddy had instructed the state government delegation to proceed to the US as scheduled and pursue planned engagements, including proposed MoUs and partnerships with institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and Virginia Tech.

The IOC said thousands of members of the Indian diaspora from Telangana had registered to welcome Reddy in the US within hours of the planned reception being announced.

The organisation accused the Centre of using political or administrative mechanisms to impede initiatives related to education, investment, innovation and economic development.

The IOC USA said it stood with Reddy’s vision of positioning Telangana as a globally competitive destination for education, technology, innovation, investment and skills development, adding that the state’s aspirations would continue despite the denial of political clearance.