NEW DELHI — Visa issuance remains the non-negotiable sovereign prerogative of any national government, the Ministry of External Affairs declared on Friday, brushing aside escalating political outrage over the sudden revocation of entry permits for foreign delegates ahead of the Congress party's Bharat Summit in Hyderabad.
Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng was among more than 100 foreign speakers blocked from boarding flights to India. The government cleared roughly 300 other overseas invitees, but barred at least 115 prominent international voices. The friction exploded into an open diplomatic and political skirmish just days before the two-day conclave opens in Telangana.
Lyng had secured an Indian visa to address a panel examining the future of independent media and press freedom. She never made it past European tarmac. Indian consular officials in Norway cancelled her travel clearance minutes before she departed for the airport, prompting an immediate public protest directed at North Block.
The Norwegian reporter previously drew international scrutiny in May during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Oslo, where she confronted the Indian delegation with pointed questions on domestic press freedom.
Writing on X, Lyng directly challenged Home Minister Amit Shah to explain why Indian authorities abruptly pulled her travel permit after granting it through standard diplomatic channels:
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.
Helle Lyng, Norwegian Journalist
She urged Shah to reconsider the administrative ban and allow her to visit the world's largest democracy. Her appeal met silence from North Block.
Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal refused to entertain claims of political censorship. He stood firm.
Visa matters are sovereign functions of any country or any government. So that is what I have to say.
Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs
Jaiswal did not detail specific security or procedural grounds for barring Lyng or the dozens of other international academics, activists, and speakers invited by the opposition.
The Congress mounted an immediate offensive against the Union government on Thursday, arguing that the Modi administration acted out of fear. In an official statement posted to X, party leaders referenced Lyng's May interaction with the Prime Minister in Norway, asserting that the revocation exposed administrative insecurity over unscripted dialogue:
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?
Indian National Congress
| Bharat Summit Clearance Metrics | Official Status / Figures |
|---|---|
| Total Foreign Delegates Cleared | Over 300 approved |
| Delegates Denied or Revoked | 115 blocked (over 100 confirmed) |
| Summit Host & Venue | Congress Party, Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Summit Dates | November 13–14 |
| Key Barred Speaker | Helle Lyng, Independent Norwegian Journalist |
Congress organizers in Telangana confirmed that the Bharat Summit will proceed across its scheduled November 13 and 14 sessions in Hyderabad, though multiple panels addressing civil liberties and digital journalism will now feature empty chairs.