BJP spokespersons stated that Sonia Gandhi, as a co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in the Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) and former chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, has been linked to organizations receiving financial backing from Soros’ foundations. According to the BJP, the FDL-AP has previously advocated for treating Kashmir as an independent entity, which they argue reflects foreign interference in India's internal matters. The ruling party emphasized that such affiliations undermine the nation's sovereignty and questioned the implications of foreign funding on domestic politics.
The allegations were amplified in Parliament, where BJP MP Nishikant Dubey highlighted purported connections between Soros-funded platforms, such as the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and the Congress party. Dubey alleged that the OCCRP, which Rahul Gandhi cited in his critique of industrialist Gautam Adani, is part of a coordinated effort to defame India globally and destabilize the economy.
Congress has dismissed these accusations as diversionary tactics aimed at steering attention away from pressing domestic issues. Rahul Gandhi’s past engagements with Soros-funded discussions and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s remarks referring to Soros as an “old friend” have also been brought under scrutiny. BJP leaders used these instances to argue for a broader nexus between the opposition and foreign-backed entities.
The debate gained further momentum following the U.S. embassy's recent response to BJP’s claims about American involvement in destabilizing India. A spokesperson for the embassy rejected the allegations, reaffirming the independence of the organizations in question and their journalistic integrity. However, BJP leaders insisted that the funding sources for these entities raise critical questions about their motives and influence.