BJP accuses Congress of using ‘Soros playbook’ to destabilize

In the latest episode of escalating political battle, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Indian National Congress of following what it calls the “Soros playbook” to destabilize the country.

The accusation comes right after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent statement stating that his party is “fighting the Indian state.”

The BJP has leveraged this statement to intensify its charges against Congress, accusing it of aligning with foreign interests and anti-national elements.

Rahul Gandhi, during the inauguration of the Congress party’s new headquarters in New Delhi, criticized the BJP and its ideological parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

He accused them of “capturing all institutions” in the country and claimed that Congress was fighting not only the BJP and RSS but also the “Indian state itself.”

This bizarre anti national statement drew sharp criticism not only from BJP leaders but even common people of India.

BJP party president J.P. Nadda stated that Gandhi’s words revealed the “ugly truth” about Congress. “His repeated actions have also strengthened this belief.

Everything he has done or said has been in the direction of breaking India and dividing our society,” Nadda said in a social media post.

The BJP has further accused Congress of having “close links” to anti-national elements and international organizations seeking to destabilize India.

Nadda and other BJP leaders have drawn parallels between Gandhi’s comments and the strategies allegedly employed by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, who has been a frequently targeting India through various means and forums.

Soros has funded organizations and movements critical of Indian government. He had openly commented against India at the 2023 Munich Security Conference.

During the conference, Soros referred to allegations of financial fraud involving the Adani Group, a major Indian conglomerate and suggested that such fraud could weaken Modi’s grip on power.

Since 2023, the BJP too has consistently portrayed Soros as an external threat to India’s sovereignty. Following his remarks at the Munich Security Conference, India’s Ministry of External Affairs described Soros as “old, rich, opinionated, and dangerous” for using his wealth to influence narratives in other countries.

This narrative by Soros gained further traction when it came out that Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), an investigative journalism network was partially funded by Soros’ Open Society Foundations.

In August 2023, the OCCRP published motivated reports alleging financial misconduct by the Adani Group. With this Soros began orchestrating a campaign to defame India’s government.

Although the OCCRP’s claimed that it reports were based on months of investigation, this was clearly part of a broader “conspiracy theory” involving foreign actors…..this has now been vindicated with closure of Hindenburg Firm.

The Congress party has repeatedly denied any links to Soros or his organizations. Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate countered the BJP’s allegations by pointing out that the Indian government itself is the fourth-largest donor to the United Nations Democracy Fund, which supports various global initiatives, including some linked to Soros’ foundations.

Shrinate, full of bluster, also accused the BJP of weaponizing unfounded conspiracy theories to divert attention from pressing domestic issues, such as inflation, unemployment, and alleged corruption involving the Adani Group.

She labelled the BJP’s allegations as “baseless and desperate attempts to malign the opposition.”The accusations against Adani and it’s ties with BJP became a major plank for Rahul Gandhi while NDA alliance emphasized Congress ties to Soros, in the lead-up to the 2024 parliamentary elections.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won the election with 293 seats in the Lok Sabha, giving Modi a third consecutive term as prime minister.

Though Rahul managing just 99 seats tried desperately to project it as a “ moral “ victory …..the morality itself remaining unclear.

Throughout the campaign, the BJP focused heavily on national security and patriotism, painting Rahul and his supporting parties as collaborators with foreign entities. This strategy appears to have resonated with a significant portion of the electorate.

In December 2024, the BJP cited a report by the French investigative outlet Mediapart to bolster its claims of foreign interference.

The report alleged links between the OCCRP and US government funding. The BJP extrapolated from the report to allege that Soros and the US Department of State were backing efforts to destabilize Modi’s government.

Mediapart later said that the BJP was distorting its findings to promote a “conspiracy theory.”The BJP’s allegations against Soros matches similar charges made by other countries worldwide.

Soros has long been a polarizing figure, with supporters praising his philanthropic efforts to promote “democracy and human rights “ (Soros version of democracy) and detractors accusing him of meddling in the internal affairs of sovereign nations.

The BJP’s accusation that Congress is using a “Soros playbook” underscores the highly polarized nature of Indian politics today. While the ruling party continues to frame its opposition as agents of foreign interests, Congress has denied these claims and accused the BJP of manufacturing conspiracies to silence dissent.

As India’s democracy faces increasing internal and external pressures, the debate over foreign influence and national sovereignty is likely to remain a contentious issue in the years to come.