Study Tour to US: Will CM Revanth Skip Republic Day Celebrations?

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is currently on a Davos tour. As usual, he is touring Davos along with Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu and other officials to attract investments. Immediately after the completion of this tour, Revanth Reddy will travel to the United States. That too for a study tour. This tour will continue for five days. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has enrolled himself in the program titled “Leadership for the 21st Century” conducted at Harvard Kennedy School in the United States. The Telangana Information and Public Relations Department has officially announced that he has become the first sitting Chief Minister in independent India to attend an Ivy League leadership course. This program will be held from January 25 to 30 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Participants from more than 20 countries and from various sectors will take part in it. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will attend classes, complete assignments, and receive course certification.

There is no controversy over Chief Minister Revanth Reddy joining this course and aiming to obtain the certificate. However, according to the dates announced by the government, it is clearly evident that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will not have a chance to participate in the Republic Day celebrations to be held in Hyderabad on January 26. Although the national flag is hoisted by the State Governor on Republic Day, the Chief Minister who has taken oath as per the Constitution also mandatorily participates in this program. But officials are commenting that it is not appropriate at all for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to go to the United States for a study tour and stay away from this program. In short, a senior IAS officer expressed the opinion that this would come under a constitutional violation.

Officials are also of the view that going to the United States on the pretext of a study tour and staying away from the Republic Day program sends wrong signals and that it would definitely amount to a protocol violation. Another noteworthy point here is that during the ten-year rule of the BRS in Telangana, the then Chief Minister KCR stayed away from Republic Day celebrations several times due to disputes with the then Governor Tamilisai. Even at that time, there was heavy criticism over the issue. This matter went to court at that time. Now, Revanth Reddy staying away from Republic Day not for political reasons but for a study tour is likely to invite severe criticism.