Govt denying permission to visit US an insult to Telangana: Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday attacked the BJP and its-led NDA Government at the Centre over denial of permission to him to visit the US, alleging that it was an insult to the four-crore people of the State.

Addressing a press conference hours after returning to Hyderabad from his UK visit, he claimed that the Centre was showing discrimination towards Telangana and said the issue will be raised in the Parliament by the Congress party.

On reports that he sought to meet Zohrab Mamdani in the US, Reddy said the New York Mayor was not an anti-social element but an elected representative.

The Centre permitted Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel to visit the US to invite investments into his state, but denied him permission, Reddy said. BJP “doesn’t want any state to grow beyond a point”, he alleged. Reddy said AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi would raise the issue of denying him permission to visit US in Parliament.

Reddy returned to Hyderabad on Monday following a three-day visit to the UK. He had initially departed for the UK on August 20 with onward travel plans to the US.

However, the Centre denied permission for the US leg of his tour, following which Reddy decided to cut short his trip and return home from London.