NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (Alliance News): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the US State Department and “deep state” elements are collaborating with investigative journalists and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to destabilize India.
This accusation is unexpected, given the strong ties between New Delhi and Washington over the past two decades, with both nations committed to deepening their relationship despite occasional tensions.
The BJP’s claim centers around the Congress party’s use of reports from the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which focused on alleged links between the Adani Group and the Indian government.
The group, chaired by Gautam Adani, was indicted in the US last month for allegedly participating in a $265 billion bribery scheme to influence Indian officials, which Adani has denied as “baseless.”
OCCRP has also reported accusations of state-sponsored hacking in India, alleging the use of Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to target critics of the government. The Indian government has refuted these claims in the past.
The BJP has previously targeted Gandhi, the OCCRP, and financier George Soros as part of an alleged campaign against Modi.
On Thursday, the party pointed to a French media report suggesting that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and figures like Soros fund 50% of OCCRP’s budget.
“The Deep State had a clear objective to destabilise India by targeting Prime Minister Modi,” the BJP stated on X. It added that the US State Department was behind this effort and that OCCRP was used as a tool for the “deep state agenda.”
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra reiterated these accusations, citing the French media report and claiming that USAID’s funding gave it significant influence over OCCRP.
The State Department, USAID, Soros, and the Congress party did not respond to requests for comment.
OCCRP denied any political affiliations, stating that while it receives some funding from the US government, it operates independently and has full editorial control.
The ruling party’s accusations come amid heightened scrutiny over the US indictment of Gautam Adani, a figure opposition leaders allege Modi has protected.
Last week, the Indian parliament was suspended multiple times as lawmakers demanded discussions on the matter.
