New Delhi, June 18, 2025:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday responded to Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge’s claim that the Centre denied him permission to travel to the United States, stating that there is “no clarity” on the matter and that the issue is being unnecessarily politicized.

🔹 BJP: “We Never Denied Rahul Gandhi”

Speaking to reporters, BJP spokesperson Prashanth GS said that neither the party nor the central government has a policy of restricting travel for opposition leaders.

“Even Rahul Gandhi has never been denied travel clearance by the government. So the question of politically targeting anyone does not arise,” he added.

🔹 No Official Explanation Yet

Prashanth further clarified that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the appropriate authority to explain the reasons behind such clearances or denials.

“Unless the MEA provides an official statement, we cannot speculate. Even Priyank Kharge himself has admitted that he doesn’t know the reason behind the denial,” Prashanth said.

🔸 Kharge’s Allegation

Earlier this week, Priyank Kharge, a senior Congress leader and son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, alleged that he was denied travel clearance by the Centre to attend a tech conference in the US. The Congress termed it as “vendetta politics” by the Modi government.

🔸 Political Reactions

While the Congress party questioned the motives behind the denial, the BJP maintained that there was no deliberate attempt to block the minister’s visit. Senior BJP leaders said that travel clearances are governed by protocols and security evaluations, not politics.

📌 Conclusion

As political tensions rise over international travel clearances, the lack of transparency from the MEA has left space for speculation. Until an official statement is issued, the true cause of the denial to Priyank Kharge remains uncertain.