metro india news  I hyderabad

 Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Friday said 'Bharat Summit' organised by the Telangana government focuses on preserving the "progressive liberal values" that are a legacy of his party, as well as promoting the state as an investment destination to a global audience.

Although Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to attend the summit, he could not participate due to his visit to Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge also did not take part in the summit.

Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, Khurshid, accompanied by Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other state ministers, emphasised that attracting investments to the state was a key objective of the 'Bharat Summit'.

"We suggested to the government that we want to build the idea of 'Telangana Shining,' not just in terms of investment and development, but also by showcasing Telangana's global profile, which is essentially India’s global profile," he said. He added that the summit had reached out to many partner countries and political parties sharing the vision of social justice, as espoused by Rahul Gandhi, and outlined in the Constitution.

"We hope this summit will become a regular event. It marks the re-establishment of Congress's legacy across the globe, which is especially needed as the world enters a new global order. We aim to preserve the global order of liberalism and progressive values cherished by India since Independence," Khurshid stated.

Bhatti Vikramarka noted that the summit was organised by the state government to guide the world through Congress party principles of non-violence, truth, and social justice, inspired by Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, at a time when the world faces social and economic pressures, inequalities, and unrest.

Discussions on Friday focused on multilateralism and social justice, he said. International delegates condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and participated in a candlelight vigil led by CM A Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad.  The 'Bharat Summit', a two-day conclave focused on promoting meaningful dialogue on global justice, equity, and progressive cooperation, began on Friday.