Bengaluru, Nov 24 (NationPress) The Karnataka branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the Congress-led government in Karnataka for the significant drop in foreign tourist numbers at Hampi, a site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On Monday, Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated: "The Congress-led administration in Karnataka is causing our state's global reputation to diminish. Hampi is not merely a tourist spot; it is a source of pride for Karnataka and a monument of global heritage. It now lies neglected by a government that fails to safeguard its cultural assets."

The number of foreign tourists visiting Hampi plummeted from 20,080 last year to a mere 3,818 this year—a staggering decline of over 80%—attributed to increasing safety concerns, poor maintenance, and a lack of infrastructure development at one of the world's most revered heritage sites.

"Such a dramatic decline does not occur without cause. It reflects a government disconnected from reality, with leaders more preoccupied with their own power struggles than with advancing Karnataka's interests. As the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are engrossed in their internal conflicts, Karnataka is regressing in every aspect," he asserted.

"Tourism has been sidelined. Law and order have deteriorated. Infrastructure is in disrepair. Investments are dwindling. Farmers and the youth remain unheard. This Congress government has utterly failed our state," Vijayendra lamented.

It is worth noting that a shocking incident—the gang-rape of a tourist from Israel and an Indian home-stay owner while they were stargazing—was reported from Koppal district of Karnataka in March 2025.

An American national, part of a group of four tourists, was also attacked and thrown into a canal during this incident; he managed to escape unharmed. This event sparked outrage against the Congress-led state government.

The incident occurred on the night of March 6. Four guests at the Heartland home stay—23-year-old Daniel from the US; a female tourist from Israel; and two Indians, Pankaj Rao Amrut Rao Patil from Nashik, Maharashtra, and Bebash from Odisha—had rented rooms.

The home-stay is situated near the Tungabhadra Left Canal. The home-stay owner, a 29-year-old woman who had relocated to Anegundi six years prior, managed two home stays in the area.

After dinner, the four guests went out to enjoy stargazing by the Tungabhadra dam. They were singing and playing the guitar when three individuals suddenly approached and asked for money. Prior to this, the assailants had inquired about the nearest petrol station. The female home-stay owner directed them to the nearby Sanapura village.

The attackers demanded money. Bebash, the tourist from Odisha, handed over Rs 20, but they insisted on more, leading to a confrontation. The assailants then attacked the tourists.

The attackers subsequently pushed Daniel, Pankaj, and Bebash into the canal. Daniel and Pankaj managed to return, but Bebash was swept away; his body was later retrieved the next day near the hydel power park close to Mallapura village.

The assailants assaulted the female home-stay owner and raped her, as well as the Israeli tourist. They also stole Rs 9,000 in cash and mobile phones from the home-stay owner.