Hyderabad, November 2026 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday criticised the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the reported denial of entry to foreign delegates invited to participate in the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad. He alleged that despite being granted visas, some delegates were stopped from entering India by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Addressing a press conference, Revanth Reddy said the delegates, including a Norwegian journalist, had been invited to speak at the summit but were reportedly denied entry after arriving with valid visas. He accused the Centre of restricting voices that raise questions and alleged that Prime Minister Modi preferred a style of leadership in which people were discouraged from questioning those in power.
The Chief Minister also defended Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Telangana, saying he had been invited by the state government to participate in the event. Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to unveil a policy aimed at the welfare of gig workers and deliver a message at the Bharat Summit.
Questioning the BJP’s opposition to Rahul Gandhi’s participation, Revanth Reddy asked why the party was objecting to the Congress leader attending an international-level gathering. He remarked that criticism by the BJP would not diminish Rahul Gandhi’s public image.
The Chief Minister pointed out that Prime Minister Modi himself travelled to various countries and addressed international summits. He questioned why similar participation by Rahul Gandhi at an event organised by the Telangana government had become an issue.
Revanth Reddy said around 1,000 delegates from 70 countries were attending the Bharat Summit. The discussions would cover important subjects, including the environment, infrastructure, investment and democracy, with experts and participants from different countries.
He also accused the BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of opposing several initiatives undertaken by the state government. He cited projects such as the rejuvenation of the Musi River, Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion, Regional Ring Road and Tummidihatti project, alleging that both parties were opposing the government's decisions.
The Chief Minister further criticised Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao and BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao, accusing them of spreading what he described as misinformation about the summit.
Revanth Reddy said the Bharat Summit would be followed by the Invest Telangana Global Summit, scheduled from December 7 to 9 at Bharat Future City. He described Hyderabad as a conducive destination for investment and said the state government had already organised curtain-raiser events in Delhi and several other locations. Similar programmes were planned in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Reiterating the state's economic ambitions, the Chief Minister said the government aimed to attract investments and transform Telangana into a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
He also questioned why the two Union Ministers from Telangana had not attended the all-party meeting on El Niño, raising concerns over their participation in discussions on issues affecting the state.
