Rejecting rumours of his scheduled meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Mr. Reddy said no such appointment was fixed.
The Chief Minister also questioned the Centre’s approach by citing the foreign visits of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Questioning the Centre’s approach, Mr. Reddy said Telangana should not be treated as a lesser State.
It is an insult to the people of Telangana and the Telangana government,” he said.
Mr. Reddy said the government would continue with its Telangana Rising 2047 programme despite the denial of permission for his U.S. visit.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy termed the Centre’s refusal to grant political clearance for his proposed visit to the United States an insult to Telangana and alleged that the decision reflected discrimination against the Telugu State, and an effort to rob it off investments in favour of Gujarat.
Mr. Reddy said the State government had provided detailed information to the Centre about the purpose and objectives of his proposed foreign visit. “The purpose of the visit and the proposed meetings were clearly mentioned. If the proposal of a Chief Minister is rejected without properly reviewing the information, can such a decision be taken without the knowledge of the Prime Minister?” he asked, addressing a press conference held in Hyderabad on Monday.
Rejecting rumours of his scheduled meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Mr. Reddy said no such appointment was fixed. However, he quipped, “Mamdani is not an antisocial element. He is an elected mayor.” He also referred to PM Modi’s 2015 unscheduled visit to Pakistan, asking, “Whom did he take permission from? Was Pakistan a friendly country?”
Explaining the arrangements normally made for official foreign visits, Mr. Reddy said Indian missions abroad facilitate meetings for Chief Ministers and Union Ministers travelling officially.
The Chief Minister also questioned the Centre’s approach by citing the foreign visits of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. He said Mr. Patel had recently undertaken an eight-day visit to the U.S. and Canada to promote the Vibrant Gujarat 2047 initiative and attract investments to the State.
“If the Gujarat Chief Minister can travel to the US and Canada to promote Vibrant Gujarat 2047, why was the U.S. visit of the Telangana Chief Minister denied when it was proposed for similar purposes under Telangana Rising 2047?” Mr. Reddy asked.
Questioning the Centre’s approach, Mr. Reddy said Telangana should not be treated as a lesser State. “Is Telangana being looked down upon? Is there discrimination against Telangana?” he asked. He alleged that attempts were being made to obstruct Telangana’s development initiatives, particularly its efforts to attract investments and establish partnerships with leading global educational and sports institutions.
He appealed to State BJP leaders criticising him to condemn the Centre’s decision, as they were elected from the State, and the State’s interests should be paramount. He also urged the media to raise the questions. “This is not an insult to Revanth Reddy personally. It is an insult to the people of Telangana and the Telangana government,” he said.
Mr. Reddy said the government would continue with its Telangana Rising 2047 programme despite the denial of permission for his U.S. visit. He announced that the State government had decided to organise the Telangana Rising 2047 programme on December 7, 8 and 9, including an investment summit aimed at attracting investments to Telangana.
