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Congress Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday raised serious concerns over shrinking democratic spaces worldwide, alleging that governments are increasingly targeting citizens' fundamental right to seek accountability rather than answering their questions, while addressing delegates on the sidelines of the Bharat Summit 2026.
Speaking to ANIabout his interactions with international participants at the conclave, Gogoi highlighted a shared global anxiety regarding state accountability and democratic backsliding. "I was here and had the opportunity to speak with delegates from various corners of the globe," Gogoi stated. "There are certain challenges that citizens in every country are currently facing; a fundamental issue is that when citizens pose questions to their governments, instead of providing answers, the governments attack the very right of citizens to ask those questions." Drawing a broader parallel across different nations, the Congress leader characterised this trend as a systemic threat to democratic governance. "In a sense, there is an attempt to dismantle democracy taking place in different parts of the world," he remarked. Emphasising the importance of cross-border solidarity and collective political action, Gogoi noted that the deliberations held during the summit offered a crucial platform for sharing strategies to counter these challenges. "In times like these, the discussions held over these past two days regarding how people and diverse political parties are coming together to safeguard democracy in their respective regions have been truly significant," he added. Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid expressed regret over the denial and cancellation of visas for foreign invitees to the Bharat Summit 2026, stating that around 115 to 116 individuals were unable to attend the event in Hyderabad. Speaking to ANI on the issue of Bharat Summit visa cancellations, Khurshid said the organisers remain in contact with the affected invitees and have formally conveyed their disappointment over their absence. "About 115-116 people were not issued visa or their visas were later cancelled. We are sad that they could not come here. We are in touch with them. We have written to them that we are sad that they could not come. Still, our relations with them will continue, and if we are unable to meet them today, we will meet them elsewhere some day", he said. The Bharat Summit 2026 has brought together roughly 1,000 delegates, policymakers, and thinkers from 70 countries to deliberate on global geopolitics, democracy, climate change, artificial intelligence, and progressive politics. Alongside Gogoi, senior leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Salman Khurshid, and Shashi Tharoor are participating in the deliberations. The two-day summit in Hyderabad brought together political leaders, policymakers, and delegates from various parts of the globe to deliberate on pressing socio-political issues and the preservation of democratic institutions. (ANI)
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