Tue Jun 17 17:45:44 UTC 2025: **Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge Denied US Entry, Demands Explanation**
**Bengaluru, India – June 17, 2025** – Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has been denied clearance to enter the United States to attend two major industry events, the Boston Bio 2025 and the Design Automation Conference in San Francisco. Kharge, who also serves as the state’s IT Minister and is the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, was scheduled to lead delegations to both conferences.
Currently in Paris, where he attended a separate conference and the aeroshow, Kharge was expected to travel to the US with his team. However, the necessary clearances did not materialize, forcing him to return directly to India.
Kharge took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce that he is withholding public comment until he returns to Bengaluru. “Once I’m back in Bengaluru, I will seek a clear explanation from the Government of India regarding this denial,” he stated.
The Design Automation Conference is considered a crucial event, particularly for Karnataka, given Bengaluru’s status as India’s IT capital. Similarly, the BIO International Convention is a leading biotechnology event attracting industry leaders globally.
The reason for the denied clearance remains unclear. This development has the potential to ignite a political dispute between the ruling Congress party in Karnataka and the BJP-led central government.
First Piper 