Politics
India Defends Visa Denials for Speakers Attending Bharat Summit
Opposition leaders condemned the abrupt cancellations while the government maintained that visa issuance remains a sovereign function.
By Headlinne · Compiled from reporting by TheWire.in, Hindu and Times of India
The Ministry of External Affairs defended India's visa decisions on Friday after opposition leaders alleged that over one hundred international speakers invited to the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad were denied entry.
The two-day conference began on Thursday and runs through November 14, bringing together about 1,000 delegates from 70 countries to discuss progressive politics and global affairs.
The controversy intensified when Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng stated that her visa was revoked by the Ministry of Home Affairs just hours before her scheduled flight to India.
"This is shocking, madness," said Lyng, who planned to speak on a panel concerning the future of media after receiving political clearance.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor alleged that 115 of the 315 invited speakers faced entry restrictions or visa cancellations on instructions from the home ministry.
"What a shame that a proud democracy has become so insecure that it must stifle any voices it fears will be critical!" said Tharoor.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the event as an anti-India platform, accusing the opposition of gathering critics to damage the nation's interests.
Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy criticized the Congress leadership for organizing the summit and bringing together forces opposed to the country.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed reporters in New Delhi regarding the growing political dispute over the international delegates.
"I would like to say, and all of you are aware, that visa matters are sovereign functions of any country or any government," said Jaiswal.
Lyng previously gained attention in May when she publicly questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oslo regarding his reluctance to answer press inquiries.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy accused the prime minister of maintaining a dictatorial mindset due to the restrictions placed on visiting journalists.
Organizers noted that nearly 30 percent of the initial invitees were ultimately unable to travel to Hyderabad due to the unexpected visa complications.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal defended the government stance on social media and criticized Norwegian conduct regarding the diplomatic spat.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to participate in the valedictory session of the summit as local protests continue.
Reporting from
- TheWire.in
Indian Visa of Norwegian Journalist Who Questioned PM Modi Cancelled Just Hours Before Her Flight
- The HinduBalanced
Shashi Tharoor alleges 115 Bharat Summit speakers were denied entry into India, or their visas were cancelled
- Times of IndiaBalanced
'Visa matters are sovereign': MEA on row over foreign speakers at Congress event
How this article was made: Headlinne wrote it with AI from the 3 reports listed above. Direct quotes are checked word for word against those reports, every number appears in at least one of them, and no other sentence is copied from one. Photos are from those reports and credited to them. Each report’s page on Headlinne links to the outlet’s original.