
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge Denied Approval For US Trip, Says "Will Seek Explanation"
New Delhi:
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, denied clearance to visit the US to attend two events, said today that he would not comment on the issue for now and would seek an explanation once he is back in the country.
Reacting to a NDTV report, Mr Kharge -- who is also the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge -- said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: "I'm holding back on making any public statements for now. Once I'm back in Bengaluru, I will seek a clear explanation from the Government of India regarding this denial".
I'm holding back on making any public statements for now. Once I'm back in Bengaluru, I will seek a clear explanation from the Government of India regarding this denial. https://t.co/70QyioMeM8
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) June 17, 2025
Mr Kharge was expected to lead delegations to the Boston Bio 2025 and this year's Design Automation Conference in San Francisco.
He was in Paris where he attended a conference and the aeroshow, from where he was to leave for the US with his team. But his clearances didn't come through.
Mr Kharge was expected to lead delegations to the Boston Bio 2025 and this year's Design Automation Conference in San Francisco.
He was in Paris where he attended a conference and the aeroshow, from where he was to leave for the US with his team. But his clearances didn't come through and he is expected to return straight to India.
The "Design Automation Conference" which bills itself as the "The Global Event for Chips to Systems" is also crucial for Karnataka - Bengaluru being the country's IT capital - and Mr Kharge, who handles the state's IT ministry.
The BIO International Convention is one of the key events for biotechnology, and claims to represent the "full ecosystem of biotech with 20,000 industry leaders from across the globe".
It is not yet clear what proved to be the hitch in the clearance but the matter could snowball into the next political row between the BJP and the Congress, which rules the state.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
French literature influences writers and politicians in Kerala: Tharoor
T'puram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stressed the cultural bond between France and Kerala, stating that French literature had a deep influence on writers and politicians of the state. Speaking at the launch of the 'Pardon My French' bookshelf at DC Books, organised by the French Institute of India on Thursday, Tharoor said, "French culture and ideas have seeped into our consciousness through political writing, appreciation and values of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity." He noted that the extraordinary contribution of French writers opened new ways of thinking. "More than 100 years ago, in a transformative act of literary vision, Nalappat Narayana Menon translated Victor Hugo's Les Misérables into Malayalam as 'Paavangal'. It was a cultural transplantation and the soil of Kerala received it not just out of curiosity but with gratitude and a bit of revolutionary fervour. Our famous communist leader, EMS Namboothiripad, said 'Paavangal' was one of the sparks that led him to communism. Writers like Thagazhi and O V Vijayan have said that in the translated works of French writing, they found a new idiom of empathy, a new narrative possibility and a new lens through which to view the oppressed and the invisible. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo With 'Paavangal', Malayalam found a weapon for awakening and that engagement partly contributed to the decades of remarkable visionary and social ferment in Kerala from the 1930s onwards," Tharoor said. He also mentioned that many other Malayalis started to translate works of French and Russian fiction and modernist works and that's how the doors to people like Guy de Maupassant, Victor Hugo and Émile Zola were opened to Malayali minds. "That's how many Malayalis discovered the challenges of realism and introspection in a literature that mirrors society and questions it," he added. "The French, in many ways, have a cultural affinity to us, including in our great conversational habit. The habit of sitting around and discussing over coffee. The Bengali adda, the Malayali tea shop. This is France, except that it is taking place in our languages," he said.


Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
CM should write to Prez against guv: Venugopal
Kottayam: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said that the governor is degrading the constitutional position he holds. He demanded that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan should write to the President about it. Venugopal told reporters in Alappuzha on Saturday that the post of the governor is the highest constitutional post in a state. "He has decided to forfeit its value. It is not a post that should be used for selfish political interests. The President should intervene in such matters. The CM should write a letter to the President at the earliest, pointing out that the governor is misusing his post," he said. Venugopal also asked why the CM is not ready for it. He said that the finance minister's announcement that welfare pension will be provided from the 20th of this month was only to influence the voters of Nilambur and misuse the election. This is a blatant violation of the election code of conduct. The Election Commission should take this seriously. The UDF will consider filing a complaint, he said. He said that during the Nilambur byelection, he strongly criticised the way welfare pension is being distributed in arrears. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "Welfare pension is the right of the common man. They are entitled to receive it without arrears. This is the govt that came to power saying that welfare pension would be increased to Rs 2,500. Now, even as their term is about to end, it is only Rs 1,600," he added. Venugopal said UDF is confident that it will win the Nilambur byelection. "It is because of this certainty that the LDF has not paid the pension. There has never been another election where there was so much unity in the UDF. The Muslim League was more enthusiastic than the Congress. Sadikkali Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty worked as if it were their own election. The IUML cadres worked with more enthusiasm than they would have worked for an IUML candidate. All the leaders and cadres of the Congress worked together in unison," Venugopal said. The AICC general secretary also said Shashi Tharoor is an indivisible factor of the Congress. "Congress is a party that ensures freedom of expression. Congress has its own ideas and goals. Everyone has instructions to go along with it. The party has the right to take action if that 'Lakshman Rekha' is violated anywhere. Congress is not a party that violates anyone's freedom of expression and freedom of movement," Venugopal said in response to a question.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Neighbourhood policy at work: India to fly home Nepal, Sri Lanka citizens from Iran
In a major diplomatic outreach to its neighbours, India said Saturday it will evacuate nationals of Nepal and Sri Lanka who are stranded in Iran and want to leave the country. Officials in Delhi framed it as an example of India's 'neighbourhood first policy' — of helping its neighbours in times of crisis, be it conflict, natural calamity or pandemic. This announcement came on the day two more flights, operated by the Iranian Mahan Air, landed in Delhi. The Indian embassy in Tehran, in a post on X, said, 'On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy's evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka.' 'The citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka may urgently reach out to the Embassy, either on the Telegram channel or over the emergency contact numbers: +989010144557;+989128109115; +989128109109,' it stated. Nepal's Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba expressed Kathmandu's gratitude. In a post on X, she thanked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 'for India's swift assistance in helping to evacuate Nepali nationals from Iran'. 'India's support in Nepal's evacuation efforts is a reflection of the strength of Nepal-India ties,' she said. Sources said about 16 Nepal nationals are in touch with the Nepalese embassy in Delhi. Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a post, said, 'Sri Lanka extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of India for the timely assistance to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals from Iran alongside Indian citizens. This act of solidarity exemplifies the strong and enduring partnership between Sri Lanka and India, and is deeply appreciated by the people of Sri Lanka.' So far, a total of 827 Indians have been evacuated from Iran. 'Another evacuation flight from Mashhad landed in New Delhi at 1630 hrs on 21 June with 310 Indian nationals from Iran. With this, a total of 827 Indians have been evacuated,' Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said. A group of about 290 Indian nationals, including students, reached Delhi late Friday night and early Saturday after being evacuated from Iran as its war with Israel intensified. On Wednesday, India announced the launch of Operation Sindhu to evacuate its nationals from Iran. 'Operation Sindhu flight brings citizens home. India evacuated 290 Indian nationals from Iran, including students and religious pilgrims by a charter flight. The flight arrived in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 20 June and was received by Secretary (CPV& OIA) Arun Chatterjee,' Jaiswal wrote on X. 'Government of India is grateful to the Government of Iran for the facilitation of the evacuation process,' he said. The first batch of 110 Indian nationals, evacuated under Operation Sindhu, arrived in India Thursday, with many evacuees sharing firsthand accounts of the frightening situation they witnessed before being moved to safer locations. This is not the first time that Delhi has stepped in to evacuate citizens of its neighbours. In the early days of the Ukraine war, India evacuated nationals of neighbouring countries along with its own. Delhi managed to persuade Tehran to open Iranian airspace for the evacuation of around 1,000 Indians via the north-eastern town of Mashhad. Sources said Delhi, after days of negotiations, moved its nationals to Mashhad and secured overflight permissions from Iran and Turkmenistan to fly Indians out of harm's way. Mashhad is close to Iran's border with Turkmenistan, and India found an air corridor for a safe flight out. Indians were moved from Tehran to Qom and then to Mashhad, with the help of the Indian embassy and Iranian authorities. India's ties with Iran and Israel puts it in a delicate spot, where it has to do some diplomatic balancing act. Delhi has strategic stakes with Iran – from Chabahar port to shared concerns on Pakistan and Afghanistan. So, it has been very careful in its statements. It has a very strategic security and defence partnership with Israel as well. Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More