NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the State Department and “deep state” elements in the United States of trying to destabilize India in collaboration with a group of journalists from investigation and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
The accusation comes as a surprise as New Delhi and Washington have built strong relations over the past two decades and both have pledged to further strengthen ties despite some differences and irritants.
Gandhi’s Congress party used the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) articles that “particularly focused” on the Adani group and its alleged proximity to the government to weaken Modi, the party said on Thursday. power.
The group’s chairman, Gautam Adani, and seven others were indicted last month in the United States for participating in a $265 billion scheme to bribe Indian officials – allegations the group called “baseless.” foundation”.
The OCCRP articles also accuse state-sponsored hackers in India of using Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to target government critics.
The government had previously denied both allegations.
The BJP has already accused Gandhi, OCCRP and 92-year-old billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros of attacking Modi.
On Thursday, he cited a French media report that said OCCRP was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and “other deep state figures” like Soros.
“The deep state had a clear objective of destabilizing India by targeting Prime Minister Modi,” the BJP said in a series of messages on X.
“The U.S. State Department has always been behind this program…OCCRP has served as a media tool to implement a deep state agenda,” he said.
Sambit Patra, national spokesperson and legislator of the BJP, reiterated the accusations at an official party press briefing on Thursday.
“A French investigative media group…revealed that…50% of OCCRP’s funding comes directly from the US State Department,” Patra said. “OCCRP served as a media tool to implement a deep state agenda. »
The State Department, US AID, Soros and the Congressional Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment. India’s Foreign Ministry also did not respond to a request for comment on the ruling party’s accusations against the State Department.
OCCRP said in a statement that it is an independent media outlet and not associated with any political party.
“The U.S. government, while providing some funding to OCCRP, has no say in our editorial processes or any control over our reporting,” he said.
The government recently faced the U.S. indictment of Gautam Adani, whom opposition leaders say Modi has always protected, and the country’s Parliament was repeatedly suspended last week as Opposition lawmakers demanded a discussion on the issue.
Modi’s BJP and Adani have denied the accusations.
