A major democracy summit hosted by the Indian opposition party, Congress, has been marred by controversy after the government blocked over 100 international speakers from attending. Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Congress MP, revealed that 115 of the 315 initially approved guests were denied entry or had their visas revoked, allegedly under directives from the home ministry. Among those impacted is Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who had previously drawn attention for questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding press freedom during his visit to Oslo earlier this year.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from media advocates, including the Editors Guild of India, who labeled the government’s actions as an instance of "bureaucratic overreach" and urged officials to provide a clear justification for the denials. Tharoor expressed his frustration on social media, questioning the legal basis for these restrictions and suggesting that the government’s insecurity is undermining India's democratic image. Despite the absences, the two-day event in Hyderabad proceeded with approximately 1,000 delegates from over 70 nations gathered to debate critical global issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and international cooperation.