'Can one journalist's question cost him an election?' Revanth takes on Modi

• Revanth Reddy accuses Modi of authoritarianism over foreign journalists allegedly denied entry despite receiving visas.

• Telangana CM asks whether a journalist's question could cost the PM an election, while accusing BJP and BRS of opposing the summit.

• Around 1,000 delegates from 70 countries expected at the Bharat Summit; Rahul Gandhi to dedicate the gig workers policy.

Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday, 13 November turned the Bharat Summit into a platform for a sharp political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of authoritarianism over the denial of entry to foreign journalists who had questioned him during his overseas engagements.

"Is asking Modiji questions a crime? It is a journalist's responsibility to ask questions. Whether to answer them or not is Modiji's choice," Reddy said at a press conference ahead of the two-day Bharat Summit in Hyderabad.

He alleged that some journalists who had been granted visas were subsequently stopped by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) from travelling to India. "But those who asked questions were stopped from coming to India because Modi likes authoritarianism. He considers himself a dictator," the chief minister said.

Linking the controversy to the opposition to the summit, Reddy accused BJP leaders of targeting the gathering because of what he called the prime minister's dictatorial mindset. He also alleged that the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana had joined the BJP in opposing the event.

Posing a pointed question to the prime minister, Reddy said: "Our question is — will Modiji lose an election just because someone asks him a question?"

The chief minister's remarks came amid a controversy over foreign delegates and journalists allegedly being denied permission to enter India despite having received visas and other clearances to participate in the summit. Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen, who was invited to speak at a session on media freedom, said she was asked not to travel to India shortly before her scheduled departure.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has alleged that 115 of the 315 speakers cleared by the ministry of external affairs were subsequently refused entry or had their visas cancelled, apparently on MHA instructions. The figure has not been independently confirmed, and the Centre has not publicly explained the reported decisions.

While taking on the Centre over the controversy, Reddy also sought to position the Bharat Summit as an international platform for discussions on global challenges and policy cooperation. The Telangana government is hosting the two-day gathering on 13 and 14 November, with around 1,000 invitees from 70 countries expected to participate. Experts and delegates will deliberate on issues including the environment, infrastructure, investment and democracy, the chief minister said.

Reddy said the resolutions emerging from the discussions would not remain confined to the summit but would be considered for implementation in Telangana.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend the concluding day on Saturday, 14 November. According to Reddy, Gandhi will dedicate Telangana's gig workers policy to workers in the sector and deliver India's message at the international gathering.

The summit is being positioned as a forum for discussions on the emerging global order, democratic institutions, climate change, economic and social justice, gender equality and international cooperation. It also seeks to encourage dialogue between countries of the Global South and Global North and explore the creation of an international think tank called 'Our World'.

The gathering has, however, drawn criticism from the BJP and the BRS, both of which have questioned its objectives and the Congress government's priorities.

The Telangana BJP has described the event as an 'anti-Bharat summit', alleging that Congress is providing a platform to forces hostile to India's interests. BJP leaders have also questioned the expenditure involved and accused the ruling party of using the gathering to promote Rahul Gandhi politically.

The summit's concluding day will also focus on Telangana's welfare initiatives, particularly its legislation for gig workers. The state has approximately six lakh gig workers, and the Telangana Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2026, was passed by the Assembly in March.

The government has also announced plans to introduce a dedicated application for registered gig workers to access services and welfare benefits.

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