Clarifies denial of ‘political clearance’ for Revanth’s US visit

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday clarified that the proposed programme for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's visit to the United States was not considered appropriate "to the office held and the purpose of the visit", and therefore political clearance was not granted. Responding to a question on Telangana Chief Minister being denied political clearance for his proposed US visit, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said visits by Chief Ministers and other dignitaries are assessed by the ministry before political clearance is accorded. "Let me say that the visits of Chief Ministers, as with other dignitaries, are assessed by the Ministry of External Affairs to accord political clearance. The programme proposed in such cases should be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit. In this particular case regarding the United States, that was not so, and therefore the clearance was not given," Jaiswal said. He, however, clarified that political clearance had been granted for Revanth Reddy's visit to the United Kingdom. The MEA's response comes after Revanth Reddy, earlier in the day, claimed that the Centre had denied permission for his proposed visit to the US, forcing the Telangana Rising delegation to cancel the US leg of its tour. According to the Telangana Chief Minister's Office, the state government had sought Central clearance for the Chief Minister's proposed visits to the UK and the US, but permission was granted only for the UK leg. The CMO said the state government was informed about the denial of permission for the US visit after the official delegation had reached the UK. The Chief Minister's Office said Revanth Reddy will now return to Hyderabad from London on August 23 instead of travelling to Boston.

Hans News Service Hyderabad

Theofficial TelanganaRising delegation, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, has been forced to cancel their visit to the United States of America (USA), after the Union Ministry of External Affairs, citing “political” angle, denied the CM permission to visit America.

The state government had sought the Centre’s permission for trips to the UK and the US as per policy and protocol, but only the UK trip was approved.

The Centre informed the state government of the refusal of permission to visit America, after the official delegation had reached the UK.

Responding to the Centre’s decision, the Chief Minister said: “The only purpose of the visit was to, as part of the New Education Policy of the Centre, bring the world’s best institutions to India, to Telangana, to Hyderabad. They would have been an answer to our youth’s aspirations to get education, skills, and training from the best Ivy League and top global institutions.”

“I have always believed we should all think beyond politics and elections when it comes to nation building and future of the youth’” he said. Although visibly shocked by the “political denial” of permission for him to further TelanganaRising and education, and to contribute to Viksit Bharat, Revanth Reddy has decided to comply with the Centre’s decision and return to India from London, taking a flight back to Hyderabad, instead of proceeding to Boston, USA.

The Chief Minister has instructed the officials to go ahead with the US trip and conclude all the MoUs and partnership agreements.

Revanth Reddy will continue, as per the scheduled program, his visits to and interactions with Oxford, Cambridge, London School of Economics, the London Business School, University of London, among others. He will also be meeting with top sports institutions and skilling leadership in the United Kingdom, and try to formalise partnerships with Telangana. “My resolve and endeavour to make Hyderabad one of the top global cities, where any common Indian can get education and a certificates from Harvard and Oxford, or an MIT and LBS or LSE, is because while most leaders have wanted to send their children abroad, I want to bring the world’s best to India,” he observed.