NEW DELHI: Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday criticised the central government for denying him permission to travel to the United States to engage with multinational companies and promote investment opportunities in the state.Sources told news agency PTI that Kharge was scheduled to lead a delegation to Boston for Bio 2025 and later to San Francisco to attend the Design Automation Conference. However, following the denial of approval, Kharge had to cut short his ongoing foreign trip and returned to Bengaluru from Paris on Wednesday night.The minister said he would take up the issue with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and demand a formal explanation for the decision.“It seems that somewhere Centre is trying to curtail the fame of Karnataka,” said Kharge, who holds the Information Technology and Biotechnology portfolios.While acknowledging that the Centre has the authority to refuse permission, he said the need for a valid justification. “Rejecting my official tour is improper,” he said.Kharge made it clear that he would pursue the matter further. “We will not leave it just like that. I am going to write to the MEA seeking a valid explanation on why there was a denial of our delegation and a support from the Government of India,” he said.He also urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.Kharge insisted that his US visit was purely for attracting investment and had no political agenda. “People in the USA have no time to listen to our politics. We are going there to invite them to invest in Karnataka. The investment that comes to Karnataka will not only benefit the state but also the Centre,” he said.