New Delhi: Visa matters are “sovereign functions” of any government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday, responding to reports that multiple foreign speakers, including Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, had their visas revoked or denied ahead of the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad.
Lyng, who briefly drew media attention during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oslo in May over a question posed to the Indian side on press freedom, was reportedly scheduled to speak on a panel at the Hyderabad summit.
“Visa matters are sovereign functions of any country or any government. So that is what I have to say,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his regular media briefing.
He was responding to a query regarding reports that the government denied or revoked visas for over 100 foreign invitees to the Bharat Summit, while granting clearance to more than 300 others.
The Bharat Summit has been organised by the Congress in Hyderabad on November 13 and 14.
Lyng, an independent journalist in Norway, said she was to attend and speak at the Bharat Summit.
In a post on X, Lyng posed direct questions to Home Minister Amit Shah on why her visa granted by the Indian embassy in Norway was cancelled minutes before she was to leave for the airport and hoped that Shah would allow her visit the world’s largest democracy.
“I got a visa to India and was supposed to leave this morning to attend the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad. I had been invited as a panelist and speaker on the future of media and press freedom.” “But ‘orders from above’ in the Ministry of Home Affairs have cancelled my visa. Here is my message for Amit Shah,” she said, asking Shah why her visa was cancelled.
The Congress reacted strongly, asking why the government is afraid of questions.
“You may remember – a journalist in Norway asked Modi a question, and Modi was seen running away. Now that same journalist, Helle Lyng, was due to attend the ‘Bharat Summit’ being held in Telangana, but her visa was cancelled before she could even get there.
“Why are Modi and his government so afraid of questions,” the Congress posted on its X handle on Thursday.
