New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asserted that Sonia Gandhi, in her capacity as co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation, is linked to an organization that receives funding from the George Soros Foundation.
On Sunday, the ruling party accused the former Congress president of having ties to an entity that has advocated for Kashmir’s status as an independent nation. The BJP emphasized through a series of posts on X that this connection illustrates the involvement of foreign influences in India’s domestic matters.
In response to the BJP’s claims, which the United States has dismissed as unfounded attempts to destabilize India, party MP Nishikant Dubey announced his intention to pose ten questions to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha regarding this issue.
Dubey further alleged that the media outlet Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the Hungarian-American businessman have collaborated with the opposition to undermine India’s economy and discredit the Modi administration.
The BJP highlighted that the FDL-AP Foundation has articulated views that regard Kashmir as a distinct entity. The party stated, “This connection between Sonia Gandhi and an organization that has supported the notion of Kashmir as an independent nation reflects the influence of foreign entities on India’s internal affairs and the political ramifications of such associations.”
Additionally, the BJP contended that Sonia Gandhi’s leadership of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has led to a partnership with the George Soros Foundation, thereby showcasing the impact of foreign funding on Indian organizations.
Rahul Gandhi’s press conference regarding Adani was broadcast live by the OCCRP, which is funded by George Soros. Gandhi utilized this platform to criticize Adani, indicating a troubling and potentially harmful alliance that seeks to undermine the Indian economy. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has openly referred to George Soros as an ‘old friend,’ which is indeed significant, according to the allegations made by the saffron party.
These accusations from the BJP followed their assertion on Thursday that a collaboration between the US “deep state,” OCCRP, and Rahul Gandhi was aimed at tarnishing India’s reputation.
On Saturday, the United States dismissed the BJP’s claims that organizations financed by its State Department and elements within the American “deep state” were orchestrating efforts to destabilize India through targeted criticisms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business magnate Gautam Adani.
A spokesperson from the US embassy characterized these allegations as “disappointing” and emphasized that the US government has consistently supported media freedom globally.
In response to the US embassy’s remarks, BJP MP Dubey stated, “I reviewed the statement from US embassy officials multiple times. They acknowledged that the US government provides funding to OCCRP, which is also supported by Soros’ foundation.”
He further asserted in a post on X in Hindi that the objective of OCCRP and Soros is to damage India’s economy and discredit the Modi administration in collaboration with opposition leaders.
