Fri Dec 06 14:56:50 UTC 2024: ## BJP Accuses US State Department of Plotting to Destabilize India, Target Modi
**New Delhi** – India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the US State Department, accusing it of orchestrating a campaign to destabilize the Indian government and target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, at a press conference, alleged a nexus between the US “deep state,” journalist groups, and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, claiming they are spreading unsubstantiated allegations against the government to hinder India’s progress.
Patra cited a French media report indicating that the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which recently published reports critical of the Adani Group, receives significant funding from the US Agency for International Development. He further claimed that this funding, along with alleged support from billionaire George Soros, forms part of a deliberate effort to undermine Modi. He accused Rahul Gandhi of collaborating with these entities and labeled him a “traitor.”
These accusations were echoed in Parliament by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who called for an investigation into Gandhi’s meetings with Soros and US lawmakers critical of the Modi administration. Dubey alleged a conspiracy between the Congress party and foreign forces driven by animosity towards Modi.
The Congress party vehemently rejected the BJP’s accusations, with MP Shashi Tharoor calling Dubey’s statements “outrageous” and demanding an apology and retraction. Tharoor pointed out procedural violations during Dubey’s parliamentary speech.
While OCCRP acknowledged receiving some US government funding, it strongly denied any influence on its editorial independence. The US State Department has yet to respond to the BJP’s allegations. The escalating tensions highlight a significant deterioration in the rhetoric between the ruling BJP and a section of the US political establishment.
First Piper 