- Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's US trip denied clearance by MEA.
- .MEA evaluates CM foreign visits for consistency with position.
- Past CMs like Kejriwal, Banerjee also had trips cancelled.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had to cancel the US trip after the Centre did not allow him to go for the visit. He has returned to India after a three-day visit to Britain. Reddy left for Britain on August 20 and was scheduled to travel to the United States from there. The Ministry of External Affairs had stated that the proposed event in the US was not in keeping with the Chief Minister's position.
Reacting to the incident, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified in a press briefing, "Visits by Chief Ministers and other dignitaries are evaluated by the ministry for granting political clearance. In such cases, the proposed event must be consistent with the position and purpose of the visit. In CM Reddy’s case, the US visit did not meet the criteria; hence, clearance was denied. However, his visit to the UK has been approved."
How is the visit approved?
-Firstly, the chief minister and the ministers of state must notify the Cabinet Secretariat of any official or private foreign travel.
-Secondly, a political clearance must be obtained from the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Applications must be made through the e-Political Clearance portal.
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On what grounds can such visits be cancelled?
Approval for such visits depends on a comprehensive review of several factors, including the reputation of the inviting organization, the purpose of the visit, the composition of the delegation, bilateral relations, and relevant security protocols.
Why is an approval necessary?
The MEA’s approval ensures that a constitutional functionary's visit does not conflict with India's foreign policy, security, diplomatic protocol, or national interests. According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the itineraries of the Chief Minister and other ministers are evaluated based on their position and the purpose of the visit.
Whose visits were cancelled in the past?
Arvind Kejriwal: Denied permission to attend the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2019 and the Singapore World Cities Summit in 2022.
Mamata Banerjee: China in 2018, Rome in 2021, postponed for peace talks.
Tarun Gogoi (2012) and Arjun Munda (2011): Permission to visit the US and Thailand was rejected.