Seminar on China triggers political slugfest in Karnataka

Siddaramaiah, the leader of Opposition in Karnataka assembly, however, said his name was printed as the chief guest on the invitation card without his permission and that he had declined to participate in the event.

An invitation to senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah for a seminar on topic “Interference of US imperialist in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China”, being organised by the Karnataka chapter of the India-China Friendship Association (ICFA), has triggered a political controversy in the southern state, with the Bharatiya Janata Party attacking the grand old party.

An invitation to senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah for a seminar on topic “Interference of US imperialist in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China”, being organised by the Karnataka chapter of the India-China Friendship Association (ICFA), has triggered a political controversy. (ANI)

Siddaramaiah, the leader of Opposition in Karnataka assembly, however, said his name was printed as the chief guest on the invitation card without his permission and that he had declined to participate in the event.

The “Seminar on Taiwan” was scheduled to be held at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru on Sunday. According to the invitation card, which has gone viral on social media, the event would be presided over by K Srinivas Gowda, a former state minister and the president of ICFA’s Karnataka chapter.

“I had declined the invitation of India-China Friendship Association to participate in their event which will be held tomorrow (Sunday). It is surprising to see my name despite declining it,” Siddaramaiah posted on Twitter while sharing a copy of the invitation card. “I declined to participate as my party’s & my position are against the agenda of the program.”

He posted another tweet in Kannada, saying he was not going to participate in the event as he did not “ideologically agree with the programme”.

Besides Siddaramaiah, the event also listed HC Mahadevappa, former deputy CM and senior Congress leader, as the guest of honour. Congress Rajya Sabha member L Hanumanthaiah and former state minister PGR Scindia, who is also the president of ICFA National, were also named as speakers.

Despite Siddaramaiah declining to attend the event, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state attacked the Congress on Saturday, saying the invitation indicated the opposition party worked for China.

“If anyone had any doubt that Congress works for China, this will clear their doubt,” tweeted CT Ravi, BJP national general secretary. “Why should Congress side with China if America is interfering in its internal affairs?”

According to the invite, Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to India, and Kong Xianhua Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Mumbai, were to participate in the event.

However, following the controversy, the seminar that was scheduled for Sunday stands cancelled, but the photo exhibition will continue as scheduled, ICFA-K general secretary V Bhaskaran said.