“Serious issue…”: BJP Accuses Sonia Gandhi of Connections to Soros-Funded Groups

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday raised concerns over alleged connections between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros, calling it a "serious" issue. Rijiju emphasized that the matter should not be politicized, urging that it be viewed as a national concern rather than through a partisan lens.

“It is an important issue that I want to raise without doing politics over it. The links between Sonia Gandhi and George Soros are serious. We do not want to see it by giving a political spin,” said Rijiju.

The BJP has accused Sonia Gandhi of having ties to organizations funded by Soros's foundation, particularly those that have taken controversial stances, such as advocating for Kashmir's independence. The ruling party highlighted Gandhi's past role as co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation, which it claims has supported such views. Additionally, the BJP pointed to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation's alleged partnerships with Soros-linked organizations, suggesting foreign influence on domestic politics.

Rijiju clarified that while some issues may be politically motivated, the involvement of foreign entities in Indian affairs raised serious concerns. “We want to run parliament. I want to clarify that some issues are politically driven but if powers outside India are trying to defy India and fight against India then there are serious concerns,” he stated.

The BJP has also focused on the OCCRP, a journalism platform funded by Soros’s foundation, claiming that it has played a role in destabilizing India's economy. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey announced plans to confront Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Parliament with ten questions regarding these alleged connections. Dubey accused Soros and the OCCRP of collaborating with opposition leaders to harm India's economy and tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

In addition, BJP’s accusations have also drawn attention to the OCCRP’s alleged role in promoting reports critical of Indian institutions, particularly the Adani Group. According to the BJP, Rahul Gandhi's press conference criticizing Adani was broadcast live by the OCCRP, a Soros-funded platform. The party also pointed out Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s acknowledgment of Soros as an “old friend” as noteworthy.

In response, opposition leaders strongly rejected the BJP's allegations. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram dismissed the claims as "dark fantasies" and "conspiracy theories" that had no place in serious political discussions. "These deep state theories should be confined to the dark web and not serious political discourse," he remarked. Chidambaram reaffirmed that Congress was committed to India's sovereignty and unity.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav also rejected the BJP’s claims, calling them a routine tactic used by the party. “It has become a habit of BJP to make false allegations. None of their allegations have turned out to be true till date,” Yadav said. Similarly, RJD MP Manoj Jha suggested that instead of focusing on conspiracy theories, the BJP should investigate the allegations themselves. "When the government and its top leadership started to look into conspiracy theories, it means there is something that they want to hide," Jha asserted.

The US government dismissed the allegations, with a spokesperson from the US embassy describing them as “disappointing.” The spokesperson clarified that US funding supports independent journalism but does not influence editorial decisions. Despite this, BJP leaders continue to claim that the US “deep state” and Soros-funded organizations are working with the opposition to undermine India's economic and political stability.
​