The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised fresh allegations against Sonia Gandhi, claiming that the former Congress president is linked to an organisation funded by the George Soros Foundation.
This organisation, according to the BJP, has supported the idea of Kashmir becoming an independent nation. The ruling party suggested that this connection highlights the influence of foreign entities in India's internal affairs, a claim it made in a series of posts on X.
The BJP's allegations revolve around Sonia Gandhi’s role as co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation. The party stated that the FDL-AP Foundation has voiced support for the notion of Kashmir as a separate entity.
In its posts, the BJP asserted that this link underscores the foreign influence on India's politics, particularly concerning sensitive issues like Kashmir.
In response to these allegations, BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Nishikant Dubey announced that he would raise the matter in the upcoming Lok Sabha session. He stated that he planned to pose ten questions to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, regarding these concerns.
Dubey also referred to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a media outlet that the BJP claims is part of a conspiracy with the Opposition to destabilise India’s economy and discredit the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP further emphasised that Sonia Gandhi’s leadership of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) had led to a partnership with the George Soros Foundation. The party viewed this as a sign of foreign funding influencing Indian organisations and politics.
It also highlighted a recent press conference by Rahul Gandhi, which was live-streamed by OCCRP. During the conference, Gandhi criticised the Adani Group, using OCCRP’s reports as a primary source of information. The BJP accused Gandhi of collaborating with foreign entities to derail India’s economic progress.
The BJP’s allegations are not limited to Sonia Gandhi and the Congress Party. They also brought up Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has previously referred to George Soros as an "old friend."
This association, according to the BJP, further exemplifies the ties between the Congress leadership and foreign interests.
These accusations came after the BJP had previously alleged that the United States’ “deep state” was working with the OCCRP and the Opposition to tarnish India’s image on the international stage. The US government, however, swiftly dismissed these claims.
A spokesperson from the US embassy called the allegations "disappointing" and asserted that the US government has been a strong proponent of media freedom worldwide.
The spokesperson also clarified that the US collaborates with independent organisations to support professional development and capacity-building training for journalists, and that this did not influence editorial decisions or the direction of these organisations.
In his response, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey reiterated his stance, highlighting that both the US government and the George Soros Foundation fund the OCCRP. According to Dubey, the OCCRP’s role is to undermine India’s economy and malign the Modi government.
He stressed that these efforts were being coordinated with the Opposition to harm the country’s reputation. Dubey announced that, in light of the US embassy’s statement, he would now ask Rahul Gandhi his ten questions in Parliament.
The MP invoked Rule 357 of the Lok Sabha, which grants him the right to raise such questions.
Despite the BJP’s repeated claims, the US embassy maintained that the allegations were unfounded.
The embassy spokesperson firmly denied any coordinated effort to destabilise India, emphasising that the US government’s work with independent organisations focused on supporting media freedom, without influencing their editorial content.
The OCCRP, a media organisation headquartered in Amsterdam, is known for its investigative reporting on crime and corruption.
While it focuses on these issues globally, its recent involvement in stories related to India, particularly those concerning the Adani Group, has raised questions about its potential influence in Indian politics.
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