NEW DELHI: At a time when the Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is spearheading an aggressive campaign over the BJP's "deep ties" with industrialist Gautam Adani, the saffron camp launched a counteroffensive on Sunday by posting a series of posts on X, highlighting a "connection" between the Congress and billionaire investor George Soros. With the Congress seeking to brand the BJP as a party entrenched in oligarchy, the BJP hit back by taking a more nationalistic route in its bid to tarnish the image of the Gandhi clan. With the battle lines drawn, a mayhem is expected in both Houses of Parliament on Monday.
Notwithstanding the US denial of the BJP's allegation that elements in the American "deep state" are behind attempts to destabilise India, party MP Nishikant Dubey maintained that he will ask the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition 10 questions in the House on the issue on Monday when Parliament reconvenes.
Mr Dubey reiterated his charge that the media portal Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Mr Soros have “colluded” with the Opposition party to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government. The BJP had cited an investigative report by French media agency Mediapart on US state department funding to the OCCRP and its link with Mr Soros.
Reacting to the US embassy's statement, Mr Dubey posted on X, "Yesterday I read the statement of the US embassy officials again and again. They admitted that the US government funds OCCRP and Mr Soros' foundation also funds it… The job of OCCRP and Mr Soros is to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government in connivance with Opposition leaders.”
"After yesterday's statement, I will have to ask Mr Gandhi my 10 questions in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition is trying to suppress my voice in Parliament. Lok Sabha Rule 357 gives me the right to ask questions. Waiting for tomorrow," the MP said.
Hardening its stance on the Congress over the issue, the BJP hit out at the Opposition party and its leadership through several posts on X.
“Sonia Gandhi, as the co-president of the FDL-AP Foundation, is linked to an organisation financed by Mr Soros' foundation. Notably, the FDL-AP Foundation has expressed their views that treat Kashmir as a separate entity... This association between Mrs Gandhi and an organisation that has backed the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation expresses the influence of foreign entities on India’s internal affairs and the political impact of such connections,” the BJP posted on its official handle on X.
The party further claimed that Mrs Gandhi’s chairpersonship of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation led to a partnership with Mr Soros' foundation, “displaying the influence of foreign funding on Indian organisations”.
The BJP also posted a screenshot of donors to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, which mentions Mr Soros-linked Open Society Institute, now known as the Open Society Foundations (OSF). The party also highlighted how Mr Gandhi’s recent press conference on the Adani issue was aired live by “Mr Soros funded OCCRP,” which Mr Gandhi used as a source to criticise Mr Adani.
“It shows nothing but their strong and dangerous relationship and highlights their attempt to derail the Indian economy…Mr Soros and Mr Gandhi have same sentiments regarding the ‘Adani issue’,” posted the BJP.
Citing Mr Gandhi's use of OCCRP reports to attack the Adani Group, the BJP has been gunning at the Lok Sabha LoP for having links with Mr Soros, a known critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
OCCRP, headquartered in Amsterdam, is a media platform that largely focuses on stories relating to crime and corruption.
Slamming the BJP over its charge against the US state department and elements in the American "deep state," Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor posted, “It's clear the BJP neither understands democracy nor diplomacy. They are so blinded by petty politics that they forget the value of a free press and vibrant independent civil society organisations in a democracy, and they are oblivious to a ruling party's responsibilities in maintaining good relations with key foreign countries…This attack-dog behaviour is an embarrassment to India."
Hitting back, the BJP posted an old tweet of Mr Tharoor about his meeting with “old friend Mr Soros.”
“Mr Tharoor has publicly acknowledged Mr Soros as an old friend. It's something truly noteworthy,” the BJP posted.
