Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Monday raised apprehensions over the alleged connection between Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros. Rijiju described the problem as a “serious” issue and called for all stakeholders to cooperate against the “anti-India opinion. He said, not politically, but as a security threat the allegations must be taken seriously.
The BJP has alleged that Sonia Gandhi, through her past role as co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP), had connections to Soros-backed organizations. The party argues that these entities have fueled controversial stories, such as aspirating to treat Kashmir as an independent entity. Rijiju also observed that cooperation between the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and groups involving Soros adds up to exterior intervention in Indian politics.
Alleged connection between Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros
“We want to run Parliament without disruption, but if forces outside India are working against the country, it demands serious attention”, Rijiju stated. He abstained from going into the discord within Congress of its own and observed discord within the opposition bloc, INDIA as well, regarding the popularity of Rahul Gandhi as their leader.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey added fuel to the controversy by announcing plans to question Rahul Gandhi in Parliament regarding the alleged ties. Dubey alleged that Soros and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) have conspired with opposition members to bring out political turmoil with a view to damage the country’s economy and tarnish the government’s image.
However, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar rejected requests for a parliamentary discussion on the matter, citing insufficient grounds under Rule 267.
Congress dismisses BJP’s claims
Opposition leaders have dismissed the BJP’s claims. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram described the accusations as “dark fantasies” without credibility. On the other hand, RJD MP Manoj Jha appealed to the government to do the due diligence but not fall prey to conspiracy theories.
The accusations also highlight the OCCRP, an investigative organization financed by Soros. BJP maintains that the OCCRP has, in fact, played a key role in its ability to disseminate the adverse reports against India, as well as against the Adani Group, and points to the Congress party using these reports to target the government.