The minister was set to lead Karnataka’s delegation at two major international events — the BIO International Convention in Boston and the Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Francisco.
Published Jun 21, 2025 | 1:07 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 21, 2025 | 2:25 PM
Minister Priyank Kharge. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge was granted MEA clearance for a U.S. visit after earlier denial and public pressure. He questioned the delay, noting it came five days after his planned departure. Kharge cited similar rejections for ministers from Opposition-ruled states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, alleging a political motive and criticising the Centre’s lack of transparency in granting travel permissions.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday, 21 June, granted clearance to Karnataka Minister for IT & BT, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge for an official visit to the United States, days after the permission was denied.
The nod from the centre came a day after the minister wrote to Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, seeking a formal explanation for the denial of clearance for his official visit to the United States earlier this month.
The minister was set to lead Karnataka’s delegation at two major international events: the BIO International Convention in Boston and the Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Francisco.
Sharing the news about the clearance, Kharge wrote: “So in a U-turn, the Ministry of External Affairs has now decided to revoke its earlier decision and grant me a clearance for an official visit to the United States. I had sought permission on 15 May to travel between 14–27 June to represent the Government of Karnataka at two major global forums and over 25 official meetings with top companies, universities and institutions for collaborations and pitch for investments.”
Further tracing the timeline of events, Priyank Kharge wrote on X :
“36 days after my original application, 15 days after the official denial and, 5 days after my scheduled departure, they ‘revoke’ their previous decision,” the Karnataka minister added.
Questioning the Union government, Kharge asked, “Why was the clearance denied in the first place?, Was the previous order revoked to avoid accountability after the matter became public?, What is the point of granting clearance after the key events are either over or nearing completion?, Will the MEA now avoid explaining the original decision by pointing to the belated approval?”
So in a U-turn, the Ministry of External Affairs has now decided to revoke its earlier decision and grant me a clearance for an official visit to the United States.
I had sought permission on 15 May to travel between 14–27 June to represent the Government of Karnataka at two…
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) June 21, 2025
Speaking to the media on Thursday, 19 June, Kharge had also criticised what he called a pattern of denial affecting Opposition-ruled states. The incident follows a string of similar denials.
In May 2025, the Union government denied Kerala Health Minister Veena George permission to travel to the US to deliver a lecture at Johns Hopkins University.
Despite applying three weeks in advance with an official invitation, her clearance was rejected just three days before departure.
In March 2025, Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev and his team were similarly denied permission to attend the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) conference in Washington, where he was slated to speak on the state’s “Year of Enterprises” initiative.
Rajeev later called the move “extraordinary” in a Facebook post.
In June 2024, following a tragic fire in Kuwait affecting Indian nationals, Veena George was denied permission – this time to travel to Kuwait to coordinate relief for Keralites.
“What we sought was simply permission to stand with our people during a tragedy. That permission is denied,” she said at the time.
Tamil Nadu’s IT and Digital Services Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) also recounted being denied clearance in 2023 – just 12 hours before he was to depart for a speaking engagement at Brown University.
He had been invited by institutions including MIT, Harvard, and the Kennedy School of Government.
“According to our information, permissions have been denied for Tamil Nadu and, in some cases, Telangana as well,” Kharge said on Thursday.
“When I recently attended the Paris Air Show on invitation, a party spokesperson from another state had come privately. I asked where their minister was, and they said they were denied permission.”
He further alleged political motives:
“As the Government of India, you have every right to tell us if we’re going wrong – to guide us. But if you cannot give a valid reason, we will be forced to believe this is political. And I’m telling you now – it is political,” he said.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
