'Centre curbing Karnataka's fame,' alleges Priyank Kharge; calls US trip denial by govt 'improper'
NEW DELHI: Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday criticised the central government for denying him permission to travel to the United States to engage with multinational companies and promote investment opportunities in the state.
Sources told news agency PTI that
Kharge
was scheduled to lead a delegation to Boston for Bio 2025 and later to San Francisco to attend the Design Automation Conference. However, following the denial of approval, Kharge had to cut short his ongoing foreign trip and returned to Bengaluru from Paris on Wednesday night.
The minister said he would take up the issue with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and demand a formal explanation for the decision.
'It seems that somewhere Centre is trying to curtail the fame of Karnataka,' said Kharge, who holds the Information Technology and Biotechnology portfolios.
While acknowledging that the Centre has the authority to refuse permission, he said the need for a valid justification. 'Rejecting my official tour is improper,' he said.
Kharge made it clear that he would pursue the matter further. 'We will not leave it just like that.
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I am going to write to the MEA seeking a valid explanation on why there was a denial of our delegation and a support from the Government of India,' he said.
He also urged chief minister
Siddaramaiah
to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
Kharge insisted that his US visit was purely for attracting investment and had no political agenda. 'People in the USA have no time to listen to our politics. We are going there to invite them to invest in Karnataka. The investment that comes to Karnataka will not only benefit the state but also the Centre,' he said.
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They have undergone unforgettable and unforgivable trauma, but with the central government's commitment and strength to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue, it is incumbent upon them to respond constructively and offer solutions for a secure and prosperous future. Efforts for justice for Sarla Bhatt are another step towards resolving the pain of Kashmiri Hindus, and further steps must be taken with equal resolve. (Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. tags : jammu and kashmir kashmiri pandits view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 18, 2025, 10:03 IST News opinion Opinion | Justice For Sarla Bhatt Step Towards Resolving Pain Of Kashmiri Hindus, But More Needs To Be Done Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. 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