Hubbali : Minister of Large and Medium Scale Industries Jagadish Shettar has cancelled his 11-day long foreign trip to China and the United Kingdom after receiving severe backlash from the people.

Shetter was scheduled to go on a two-nation official trip along with eight officials from November 6 to 17. As per the earlier tour plan, he was supposed to visit China for six days and the United Kingdom for four days.

According to documents procured by a private Kannada channel (Public TV), Shettar’s wife Shilpa Shettar was also part of the contingent that was supposed to visit the two countries.

Sources said that Shettar had received an invitation from China and the United Kingdom to attend investors’ meet. While not much is known about the China trip, sources said the minister was invited for a Corporate Governance and Global Business Meet in London. He, along with eight senior officials including Commerce and Industries Principal Secretary Gaurav Gupta, was supposed to attend the meet.

Speaking to a section of media houses in Hubballi on Friday, Shettar said the foreign tour has been cancelled. “I am not craving for foreign trips. The tour was planned after receiving an official invite from China and the United Kingdom for investors meet. Being an Industries minister it is my duty to bring more investment to State and this could have been an opportunity,” he said and added that given the flood situation in Belagavi and other parts of North Karnataka I have decided cancel the trip.

Shettar is District In-charge Minister for Belagavi, one of the worst affected districts of floods in August and October.

He also clarified that while flight tickets for him and eight other officials were sponsored by the State government, his wife ticket was to be borne by him.