BJP lashes out at investor George Soros, says he is ‘targeting’ Indian democratic system

PTI, Feb 17, 2023, 2:09 PM IST

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The BJP on Friday launched a frontal attack on billionaire investor George Soros, accusing him of not only targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also the Indian democratic system.

This war is being mounted against India and what stands between the war and India’s interests is Modi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani told reporters here.

She alleged that Soros wants to destroy Indian democracy and wanted some ”hand-picked” people to run the government here. ”We have defeated foreign powers earlier too and will do so again,” she asserted.

”George Soros wants a government that is pliable to his needs for making his nefarious plans successful. It is evident from his statements that he has declared funding of over one billion dollars particularly to ‘target’ leaders like PM Modi, which is significant,” she said.

Soros had announced that he will target India’s democratic system and Modi will be at the centre of his attack, she said, adding he wants an order in the country which will protect his and not India’s interests. ”Notably, at a time when India rises to become the fifth largest economy in the world and when India receives gratitude by global leaders like presidents of the USA and France, and the PM of England for enabling employment not only in India but also in these three nations, the imperialist intentions of an entrepreneur are coming to light who seeks to demonise our democracy,” Irani said.

He has created a fund of over USD one billion (Rs 100 crore) to intervene in democratic systems, including in India, she claimed, urging every person, organisation and society to denounce the intention of this ”individual who is seeking to weaken our democratic interests for his personal gains”.

Soros (92), who has been associated with various causes, has said the turmoil engulfing Gautam Adani’s business empire that has ”shaken” the faith in India as an investment opportunity may open the door to a ”democratic revival” in the country. He also alleged that PM Modi is not a democrat.

Adani group has been under severe pressure since the US short-seller Hindenburg Research on January 24, accused it of accounting fraud and stock manipulation, allegations that the conglomerate has denied as ”malicious”, ”baseless” and a ”calculated attack on India”.

Irani said every Indian should speak in one voice that their government and Modi, who have been elected democratically, will not bow their heads to such ill intentions.

In his remarks at the Munich Security Conference, Soros had said, ”Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but he failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards. Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in Parliament.

”This will significantly weaken Modi’s stranglehold on India’s federal government and open the door to push for much-needed institutional reforms,” he said.