Visa Denials Overshadow Bharat Summit as Tharoor Lashes Out at Government
Hyderabad: The second edition of the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad has become the center of a heated political firestorm after senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor alleged that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs effectively blocked a significant portion of the event’s guest list. According to the Thiruvananthapuram MP, 115 out of 315 invited international speakers were either denied entry into India or had their existing visas abruptly cancelled.
The summit, which brings together approximately 1,000 participants from across 70 nations to discuss the future of the Global South and North, is currently underway. Mr. Tharoor expressed deep frustration over the administrative hurdles, noting that the timing of these cancellations—just days before the summit’s scheduled conclusion on November 14—rendered any legal recourse impossible.
A Pattern of Exclusion
The allegations gain weight following a public statement from Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng. Representing the Oslo-based Dagsavisen, Lyng claimed she was explicitly advised by Indian diplomatic officials not to board her flight to India, despite possessing a valid visa for the trip.
This incident aligns with reports from Telangana Congress media in-charge Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, who suggested that nearly one-third of the international invitees faced unexplained visa complications. In a sharply worded social media post, Mr. Tharoor criticized the government’s stance, questioning the transparency and legal standing of the MHA’s actions. “What a shame that a proud democracy has become so insecure that it must stifle any voices it fears will be critical!” he remarked.
BJP Labels Event an ‘Anti-India’ Forum
As the controversy grows, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mounted a fierce counter-offensive. Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy slammed the summit during a press briefing in New Delhi, labeling the event an “anti-India platform.”
BJP leadership contends that the summit is designed to provide a stage for entities and individuals who harbor sentiments critical of India’s national interests. The party has further accused the Congress leadership of using the summit to appease foreign critics, with local Telangana BJP leaders organizing protests to express their disapproval of the event.
State-level BJP figures, including party president N. Ramchander Rao, have also questioned the allocation of state resources for the summit. Rao challenged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on the financial ethics of sponsoring an event that the opposition claims serves as a nexus for anti-national narratives, suggesting that the move is merely an attempt to curry favor with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Diplomatic and Political Implications
The summit was intended to be a prestigious gathering coinciding with the 80th year of India’s Independence and the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. Key initiatives, such as the establishment of the ‘Our World Institute’ think tank, were sidelined by the ongoing visa controversy.
As Rahul Gandhi is slated to attend the valedictory session this Saturday, the air in Hyderabad remains tense. The intersection of visa policies, international diplomacy, and domestic political polarization has transformed a global dialogue forum into the latest battleground for the ongoing ideological struggle between the Congress and the ruling BJP.
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