'Traitor': BJP alleges nexus between Soros, US-backed OCCRP and Rahul
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of being part of an alleged conspiracy against India.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, BJP spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra called Gandhi a "traitor of the highest order."
He alleged that Gandhi was involved in a "triangle" with United States-based philanthropist George Soros and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
Conspiracy details
Patra outlines alleged 'conspiracy triangle'
Patra alleged Soros, his foundation, and some American agencies made one side of this conspiracy triangle.
He named the OCCRP, a global media agency funded by Soros's Open Society Foundation, as another side.
Gandhi, according to Patra, is the third side of this triangle.
To back up his alleged claim, the BJP spokesperson cited instances where OCCRP reports were allegedly used by Gandhi to criticize India.
Report reference
BJP cites OCCRP reports in Gandhi's criticism of India
Patra cited a July 2021 OCCRP article on Brazil canceling a contract for India's Covaxin vaccine.
He alleged that after this report, the Congress party held a press conference attacking the Indian government and the vaccine.
A recent Mediapart report had revealed that Soros funded OCCRP, founded by Drew Sullivan.
The report carried an email from Sullivan admitting that in its early years, OCCRP avoided US stories due to funding from Washington and Soros's foundations.
Funding disclosure
OCCRP's funding history and political implications
The Mediapart report also carried Sullivan's email mentioning that OCCRP initially stayed away from US stories because of its funding sources.
However, he mentioned that this limitation is not a problem anymore.
"Since then, the OCCRP has attracted wider sources of funding, and Sullivan and the board told this investigation that the restriction of not using US funds to investigate US issues is not a problem....the NGO can use other, non-US funds it receives to do so," the report said.