Tharoor Claims 115 Speakers’ Visas Were Cancelled: What We Know About The Bharat Summit Row

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday has alleged that 115 of the 315 speakers cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs for the Telangana Government's Bharat Summit in Hyderabad were denied entry to India or had their visas cancelled, apparently following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Tharoor, who attended the summit’s opening day, criticised the action, accusing the central government of attempting to "stifle the voices".

“It is completely unclear under what provision of law the government has taken such a drastic step,” Tharoor wrote on X, adding that the decision could not be reversed before the conference ended. He called it “a shame that a proud democracy has become so insecure that it must stifle any voices it fears will be critical”.

The allegations surfaced as the Congress-hosted summit brought together delegates from dozens of countries for discussions on global affairs, democracy and India’s role in the changing world order.

Norwegian Journalist Says Visa Was Cancelled Before Travel

Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen said she was among those unable to attend. Invited to speak on media and press freedom, she said she had obtained an Indian visa and political clearance but was told she could not travel shortly before leaving for the airport.

In a video posted on X, Svendsen said she received a call from the Indian Embassy in Oslo about 10 minutes before her departure. “I got a visa to India and was supposed to leave this morning to attend the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad,” she said. “But orders from above in the ministry of home affairs have cancelled my visa.”

Svendsen works for the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen. She drew attention in India in May after questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint media interaction with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo.

Bharat Summit organiser Pushparaj Deshpande expressed regret that she could not attend. “It’s deeply unfortunate that Ms Helle Lyng Svendsen will be unable to join us at the Bharat Summit,” he wrote on X, adding a criticism of the Centre: “This is what the ‘mother of democracy’ looks like in PM Modi-HM Shah Raj.”

Congress Alleges BJP Tried To Dicredit The Summit

Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal accused the BJP and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of jointly trying to discredit the summit. Speaking to ANI, he said the event aimed to bring together countries committed to democracy and address gaps between global capitalism, global challenges and global governance.

Sappal said the summit was also intended to promote Telangana as a destination for investment. “It is not the Congress party organising it; the Congress government is organising it. That is nothing but the Telangana government, and all four crore people are representing this Bharat Summit,” he said.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also criticised the BJP and BRS, saying they opposed “liberalism, being progressive and justice”.

What Is The Bharat Summit?

The Bharat Summit 2026 is a two-day gathering scheduled for November 13 and 14 at HITEX in Hyderabad organised by Congress-led Telangana government. Organisers said it would bring together more than 1,000 elected representatives, policymakers and intellectuals from over 70 countries to discuss global issues, peace, economic development and international cooperation.

Tharoor said the summit would also explore plans for a think tank called the “Our World Institute” and a platform connecting the Global South and Global North.