Bengaluru, October 29, 2025
Karnataka's IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge unleashed a sharp-tongued critique against opposition parties today, accusing them of brazenly lifting the state's pioneering tech policies for their upcoming election manifestos. In a witty yet pointed social media post that quickly went viral, Kharge quipped, "They copied our tech policies but forgot to delete 'Karnataka' from their bills. Next time, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, but remember Ctrl+Z for credit where it's due!"
The barb, posted on X (formerly Twitter) amid the escalating pre-election fervor, comes as several regional parties unveil their platforms for the 2026 state assembly polls. Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and a key architect of Karnataka's digital ecosystem, highlighted the irony of rivals parroting initiatives like the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) and the state's aggressive push for AI and semiconductor hubs—cornerstones of the Congress government's "Digital Karnataka" agenda since 2023.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a tech summit in Bengaluru, Kharge elaborated on the alleged plagiarism. "We've invested ₹5,000 crore in skilling 10 lakh youth for emerging tech jobs, rolled out the Global Innovation Alliance for startups, and positioned Bengaluru as India's Silicon Valley 2.0. Now, our opponents are recycling these ideas verbatim, without a nod to the source. It's flattering, but let's be original—innovation isn't a cut-and-paste job," he said, drawing laughter from the assembled crowd of entrepreneurs and policymakers.
The taunt has ignited a political firestorm, with the BJP dismissing it as "sour grapes" from a government facing scrutiny over implementation delays in flagship projects like the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation's (KEONICS) expansion. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya countered on X: "Kharge junior's comedy hour? While Congress dreams up manifestos, we've delivered real governance in other states. Copying? That's called learning from the best—sorry, not you."
The Congress, however, has seized the moment to reaffirm its tech credentials. In a follow-up statement, Kharge announced an upcoming "Tech Manifesto Review" forum, inviting opposition leaders to a public debate on policy originality. "If they're so inspired, let's compare notes. Karnataka's blueprint isn't just copied; it's battle-tested," he added.
Analysts see Kharge's quip as a savvy blend of humor and strategy, leveraging social media to rally urban voters in tech hubs like Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi. With elections looming, the minister's post amassed over 50,000 likes and shares within hours, trending under #CopyCatManifestos and #KarnatakaFirst.
As the war of words escalates, Kharge's office confirmed plans to watermark future policy documents with "Original Karnataka Innovation—Do Not Duplicate." The minister, known for his tech-savvy persona, ended his press interaction with a flourish: "In coding, as in politics, attribution matters. Time for rivals to debug their manifestos."
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