Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised allegations against the U.S. State Department and certain “deep state” elements within the U.S. government, accusing them of attempting to destabilize India in collaboration with a group of investigative journalists and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. This accusation is particularly surprising given the strong bilateral relationship that has been forged between New Delhi and Washington over the last two decades, with both nations vowing to deepen their ties despite some existing differences and issues.
The BJP’s accusations are linked to the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi, which has used articles published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) to target Prime Minister Modi and his government’s alleged ties to the Adani Group. The articles, according to the BJP, “singularly focused” on the Adani Group and its alleged closeness to the government. These articles were used by the Congress party to undermine the reputation of Modi and the BJP. On December 5, the BJP condemned Gandhi’s use of OCCRP’s reports to further his political agenda.
The reports from OCCRP have claimed that Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Adani Group, and seven other individuals were indicted in the U.S. last month for their involvement in a US$265 billion bribery scheme targeting Indian officials. However, the Adani Group has dismissed these allegations as “baseless.” In addition to these claims, OCCRP’s reports have also accused state-sponsored hackers in India of utilizing the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to target government critics. The Indian government has strongly denied both of these accusations.
The BJP has previously accused Rahul Gandhi, OCCRP, and the billionaire financier-philanthropist George Soros of orchestrating attacks on Modi. In its latest round of accusations, the BJP cited a report by a French media outlet, which claimed that OCCRP receives funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other figures associated with the “deep state,” such as Soros. According to the BJP, these connections point to a deliberate attempt by the “Deep State” to destabilize India by targeting Prime Minister Modi.
“The Deep State had a clear objective to destabilize India by targeting Prime Minister Modi,” the BJP stated in a series of posts on the social media platform X. The party emphasized its belief that the U.S. State Department has been the driving force behind this effort. The BJP further claimed that OCCRP was merely serving as a tool for this “deep state agenda.” The party used its official media channels to reiterate this position, with Sambit Patra, a national spokesperson for the BJP, echoing these accusations during a press briefing on Thursday.
Patra stated, “A French investigative media group…has revealed that… 50 percent of OCCRP’s funding comes directly from the U.S. State Department,” further asserting that OCCRP was serving as a vehicle for the “deep state agenda” aimed at undermining the Indian government. Despite these serious allegations, neither the U.S. State Department, USAID, Soros, nor the Congress party responded to requests for comment on the BJP’s accusations. Likewise, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs did not offer any comment regarding the ruling party’s claims against the State Department.
In response to these accusations, OCCRP issued a statement affirming its independence as a media outlet. The organization emphasized that while the U.S. government provides some funding to its operations, it does not influence its editorial decisions or reporting processes. “The U.S. government, while providing some funding to OCCRP, has no say in our editorial processes and no control over our reporting,” the statement read, rejecting the idea that the outlet is aligned with any political party or external agenda.
The BJP’s recent allegations come amid increasing scrutiny surrounding the U.S. indictment of Gautam Adani, who has long been seen as a close ally of Prime Minister Modi. Opposition leaders have suggested that Modi has consistently shielded Adani from legal consequences. In response, the Indian parliament was disrupted last week as opposition lawmakers demanded a debate on the matter. Despite the mounting pressure, both Modi’s BJP and Adani have vehemently denied all accusations of wrongdoing.
The controversy surrounding the Adani Group’s alleged corruption schemes and Modi’s connection to the billionaire business tycoon continues to dominate political discourse in India. The opposition has capitalized on the U.S. indictment to accuse Modi of protecting Adani, claiming that the prime minister has used his political power to shield the businessman from legal repercussions. These allegations have intensified in the wake of OCCRP’s reports, which have painted a picture of widespread corruption and state-sponsored surveillance in India.
At the heart of this dispute is the issue of Modi’s relationship with the Adani Group, which has been a source of ongoing controversy for the BJP. The ruling party has strongly defended Modi and his government, dismissing all claims of corruption or favoritism towards Adani. Despite these defenses, the allegations have sparked widespread debate within India and abroad about the true nature of the ties between Modi, his government, and the Adani Group.
The BJP’s attempt to shift the narrative away from the corruption allegations against Adani and Modi by targeting external actors like the U.S. State Department and Soros is seen by many as an attempt to deflect attention from the growing scandal. Critics argue that instead of addressing the core issues surrounding Adani’s alleged misconduct, the ruling party is choosing to focus on conspiracy theories involving foreign actors. This strategy, however, has not silenced the opposition or the public, who continue to demand transparency and accountability from the Modi government.
As the political tensions surrounding the Adani controversy continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how this conflict will evolve and whether the BJP’s accusations against the U.S. and other foreign entities will gain traction among the Indian public. For now, the focus remains on the growing pressure faced by Modi and the BJP, as they grapple with the fallout from the U.S. indictment and the ongoing allegations of corruption within the Indian government.
The controversy is unlikely to subside anytime soon, as both the BJP and the opposition continue to use the Adani issue as a key point of contention. In the coming weeks, the government will likely face continued scrutiny from both domestic and international sources, with calls for an investigation into the allegations against Adani and his ties to Modi. However, the BJP is expected to continue defending its position, reiterating that these attacks are part of a larger agenda to undermine the government’s legitimacy and to destabilize India.