India’s political landscape has intensified as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a series of attacks against billionaire philanthropist George Soros and the US State Department, accusing them of a conspiracy to destabilize the country, Al Jazeera reports.
This comes as India grapples with a range of domestic issues, including ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, a slowing economy, and corruption allegations surrounding industrialist Gautam Adani.
The political theater unfolded amidst the Winter Session of Parliament, with the BJP and the opposition, led by the Congress party, already locked in heated debate. However, the focus shifted dramatically when BJP leaders took to Parliament with placards, attempting to deflect criticism by linking the Congress to Soros.
The Hungarian-American financier has become a prime target of the BJP’s rhetoric since early 2023, accused of funding the opposition and Modi critics with the aim of undermining India. These accusations gained momentum ahead of the 2024 general elections, where the BJP lost its outright majority, though it still managed to form a coalition government.
The BJP’s campaign has reached a fever pitch, with the party now claiming the US State Department is colluding with Soros to destabilize Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a series of posts on X on December 5, the BJP alleged that Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, used the work of investigative journalists funded partly by Soros’s Open Society Foundations and the State Department, to target the Modi government on issues ranging from the economy to national security.
The BJP cited a French media outlet, Mediapart, alleging that Soros’s foundation and the State Department funded the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). They further linked OCCRP’s exposés on topics such as the use of Pegasus spyware, the Adani Group’s activities, and reports on declining religious freedom in India to suggest a coordinated effort by Soros and the Biden administration to undermine Modi.
These accusations against the US State Department have surprised many analysts, given that the US is a close strategic ally of India. However, some experts suggest that this could be a domestic political tactic aimed at aligning the Modi government with the incoming Trump administration’s rhetoric about a “deep state” conspiracy.
This campaign has roots in allegations that arose earlier this year. In January, a report by Hindenburg Research, a financial research firm, accused the Adani Group of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud”. While the Adani Group has denied these allegations, the report led to a significant drop in the company’s shares. This also became a key issue used by the Congress-led opposition in their campaign against the Modi government in the recent election.
In February, Soros weighed into this debate, stating at the Munich Security Conference that the Adani crisis would weaken Modi’s grip on the government. This statement elicited a strong response from the BJP, with some ministers claiming that Soros had declared his intention to intervene in India’s democratic processes.
Meanwhile, Mediapart has issued a statement condemning the use of its investigative report to support the BJP’s political agenda.
Political scientist Neelanjan Sircar believes that Soros serves as a convenient target because he represents “a lot of money, a position that is critical of Modi, and funds a lot of things”. The focus, according to Sircar, isn’t just on Soros himself, but on his connections to social and political actors that the BJP is trying to demonize.
The BJP’s attacks on Soros have intensified following a recent US indictment of Adani on bribery charges, which the group has also denied. The BJP has attempted to link Soros and the Congress, citing Soros’ funding of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific, of which Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s mother, is co-president.
The Congress party has rejected the allegations, stating that the BJP’s anti-Soros campaign is a distraction from critical issues like the Manipur crisis, the economic slowdown, and the Adani corruption allegations.
The BJP’s rhetoric mirrors patterns seen in other countries, where right-wing movements have accused Soros of orchestrating global conspiracies. However, according to research from the University of Michigan, the Indian campaign appears to avoid traditional anti-Semitic tropes and instead focuses on Soros’ alleged bias towards Muslims and “hatred of Hindus.”
This campaign against Soros has moved from online platforms to mainstream television, with BJP spokespeople and supporters attacking him relentlessly.
While the BJP accuses the US government of being involved in this alleged conspiracy, the US State Department has refuted the claim as “disappointing”, while also stating that they have “long been a champion of media freedom around the world”.
Experts question the BJP’s claims. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert, noted that the US government has made efforts to strengthen its partnership with India, but that the BJP’s rhetoric might be aimed at the incoming Trump administration.
Ultimately, the situation highlights the complex interplay of domestic politics and international relations in India. According to Sircar and Ali, the BJP’s campaign against Soros appears to be rooted in domestic politics, aimed at strengthening their appeal to nationalist voters. This strategy positions Modi as a defender of India against perceived foreign interference.
