'Tharoor gave...invitees list': Hardeep Puri on 2009 dinner with Soros
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor are caught in a row over a 2009 dinner in New York, which was attended by billionaire George Soros. Puri, who was India's ambassador to the United Nations then, hosted the dinner where Tharoor was a guest. The minister now claimed it was Tharoor who provided the guest list for the event, which included Soros.
Puri suggests Tharoor's interest in Soros due to RGF connection
Puri hinted Soros was on the guest list as he was a benefactor of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), and Tharoor was eager to meet him. "In retrospect, it is clear the name was included because...the minister of state was keen to meet him," Puri wrote. He also noted Tharoor had met Soros in May 2009 and tweeted about their meeting.
Tharoor denies financial ties with Soros
However, Tharoor has denied any ongoing relationship or financial ties with Soros or his foundations. He earlier clarified he met Soros socially, and their acquaintance had no political connotations. The controversy resurfaced after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker highlighted a 2009 tweet by Tharoor praising Soros. Responding to this, Puri warned some Congress members about "obfuscation" and said they "tweet at their own peril."
BJP accuses Soros of misinformation campaigns
The BJP has accused Soros of trying to destabilize India through misinformation campaigns and alleged links with the Congress. They cite claims from French media outlet Mediapart about Soros's funding of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) as evidence. The party alleges these actions are aimed at damaging India's global image and investment prospects by portraying it as deviating from Western democratic values.
