New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads India’s ruling coalition, has accused the US State Department of trying to destabilise India and targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra directly blamed the US State Department for allegedly orchestrating this agenda.
In a press conference, Patra said that elements within the US “deep state” were working alongside journalists and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to disrupt India’s progress by spreading unfounded allegations and malicious reports. He said this was all part of a broader effort led by the US government, NDTV reported.
BJP slams Rahul Gandhi
Patra also criticised Rahul Gandhi for citing reports from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which focused on alleged links between the Adani Group and the Indian government. The BJP dismissed these allegations as baseless and lacking evidence.
Patra further said that OCCRP had ties to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and figures like billionaire George Soros, who allegedly funded the group as part of a larger plan to destabilise India and undermine Modi’s leadership.
Allegations of foreign conspiracy
According to Patra, a French media report said that half of OCCRP’s funding comes from the US State Department, reinforcing the BJP’s accusation of a foreign conspiracy. The BJP also called Gandhi a “traitor” and accused him of collaborating with foreign forces, including Soros and American lawmakers like Ilhan Omar, who have criticised Modi and his government.
In response, Congress strongly condemned these statements. MP Shashi Tharoor called Dubey’s comments defamatory. He said that the BJP violated parliamentary rules by attacking people without prior notice and spreading baseless accusations. Tharoor demanded that the remarks be expunged from the record and Dubey should apologise.
The OCCRP acknowledged receiving some funding from the US government but clarified that it operates independently, with no editorial control from its funders. The US State Department is yet to respond to the BJP’s allegations.
