The war of words between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka has escalated ahead of the opening of the US consulate in Bengaluru on January 17, with both parties claiming credit.
The exchange sharpened after Bengaluru South MP and BJP leader Tejasvi Surya met external affairs minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, offering Mysore Pak, a popular sweet.
“The decision to establish consulates is made by the respective governments based on the economic significance of a city, not on the whims or personal preferences of BJP MPs or the External Affairs Minister,” Karnataka’s IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge wrote on X.
“Also, BJP MPs should stop misleading people. While the consulate will be opened soon, it will initially serve Americans and businesses. It will take a while before they start processing visas from here,” he said.
Also read: US Consulate in Bengaluru: Site dedication ceremony on January 17
“Perhaps BJP MPs and @DrSJaishankar should make honest reels about how pressure from the Supreme Leader to prioritise a consulate in Gujarat caused the delay in establishing one in Bengaluru.” Kharge said.
While the location of the US Consulate in Bengaluru is yet to be revealed, Moneycontrol reported that it will initially operate with a limited number of officers from the JW Marriott hotel on Vittal Mallya Road before moving to a permanent office.
Late on January 15, Surya posted a video with Jaishankar welcoming the US consulate. “It’s been made possible only and only because of PM @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar’s efforts. What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak!” the video caption read.
Also read: US consulate in Bengaluru: Credit war erupts between Congress and BJP
“Bengaluru having a US Consulate will benefit lakhs of students from the city. The city is the country’s IT capital and home to many multinational companies. The consulate will boost commerce and trade between the two countries and smoothen travel for businessmen and entrepreneurs. I thank the Modi Government for promoting the interests of Bengaluru at every given opportunity and fulfilling a long-pending request,” he said.
Surya had in November 2019 met Jaishankar with a written request for a US consulate in Bengaluru. In March 2023, he sought the minister’s support for the consulate.
Also read: Karnataka minister urges US Consulate General to set up office in Whitefield
There were around 750 multinational companies in Bengaluru, with about 370 of them headquartered in the United States. Bengaluru and Karnataka together accounted for a large pool of students and businessmen traveling to the United States, Surya wrote in his 2019 letter. A fully functioning US consulate in Bengaluru would be convenient for at least half a million people in Karnataka and would also ease the burden on the consulates in Chennai and Hyderabad, he said.
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