BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that he will not be attending the Bhartiya Sanskriti Utsava, organised by the Bharat Vikas Sangam, scheduled to be held in Kalaburagi from January 29 to February 6. The decision came after Siddaramaiah’s name appeared on the event’s official invitation letter, sparking an outrage.
Taking to ‘X’, Siddaramaiah expressed his surprise, saying, “I have noticed that my name has been printed on the invitation letter for the inauguration of the Indian Culture Festival organised by the Bharatiya Vikas Sangam. However, I have not received an official invitation for this event.” In a further revelation, he added, “After reviewing the background details of the organisation that is hosting this event, I have decided not to participate in it.”
The controversy erupted when the Bharat Vikas Sangam, linked to BJP-RSS ideologue Govind Acharya, listed Siddaramaiah as an invitee to the event. His inclusion alongside other prominent Congress leaders raised eyebrows, with one activist accusing the organisation of promoting right-wing ideologies, which starkly oppose Congress’ values.
RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge also publicly stated that his name had been added without his consent. Two other Congress minister’s names who also figured among the invitees are Karnataka Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar and Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy. In addition to this, the name of Ballari MP E Tukaram also figured among the invitees.