Congress slams BJP over George Soros claims; Dhankhar calls Nadda, Kharge to chamber amid Rajya Sabha uproar
The Congress alleged that the Centre was jeopardising India's foreign relations to protect Gautam Adani.
The Congress on Monday dismissed the Bharatiya Janata Party's allegations of its leaders colluding with US investor George Soros, accusing the ruling party of using such clai to divert attention from its efforts to shield industrialist Gautam Adani.
The Rajya Sabha also saw an uproar over the issue as it was adjourned for the day on Monday, with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar cautioning that the “functioning of the deep state affects us more perniciously than the Covid disease”.
The opposition alleged that the government was jeopardising India's foreign relations to protect Gautam Adani, whom Congress leader Pawan Khera mockingly described as enjoying “M (Modi)” security.
Also Read | Who is George Soros and what are BJP's allegations against Sonia Gandhi?
“Since Parliament session began, we have been trying to raise issues but there is one issue the prime minister cannot tolerate, and when that issue is raised, he loses self control. That one name is Adani. As soon as that name is taken, the PM gets rattled,” news agency PTI quoted Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera as saying.
"No one has the right to stake our ties with a nation for one person. Those countries that help that industrialist, even if they enter our borders, they are given a clean chit and those countries that get a probe done on him...that is accused of being part of a conspiracy. What kind of foreign policy is this," Khera said in an apparent reference to China's alleged transgressions and US indictment of billionaire Gautam Adani.
Also Read | Kiren Rijiju urges Congress, other parties to unite against Sonia Gandhi-George Soros ‘links’
“This conspiracy began since about 2002. Then it was limited to a state, but since 2014, this has now become an international conspiracy,” he claimed.
"They accuse of (colluding with) Soros. Is this an issue? If this is an issue, we can also start talking about which minister's son does what with grants from Soros, but this is not an issue. Are these issues that how many children of ministers are taking grants from Soros' organisations?" Khera asked.
The issue is that the king's life is dependent on the parrot's life, he said.
This parrot does not eat chillies, but it eats ports, electricity, coal, the money of share market investors, taxpayers money goes to this parrot, Khera said in an apparent swipe at Gautam Adani.
Also Read | ‘Sonia Gandhi linked to George Soros-funded group supporting Kashmir independence’: BJP
“To save this parrot, the king will go to any extent. You would have heard of Z security, Y security, Gautam bhai has 'M' security..It is not Madhabi (Buch) security but Modi security. This security is such that if anyone wants to reach Gautam Adani, he or she has to cross the dead body of democracy,” Khera said.
The BJP last week claimed that billionaire investor George Soros and some US-based agencies, investigative media platform Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and Rahul Gandhi occupy three sides of a "dangerous" triangle trying to destabilise India and stoke public disaffection for a regime change.
The BJP had claimed a link between Rahul Gandhi and international forces, including an investigative media platform, trying to destabilise India.
The BJP on Sunday alleged that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has links to an organisation financed by the George Soros Foundation and which has backed the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation.
The US has rejected the BJP's allegations that organisations funded by the US State Department and elements in the American “deep state” were behind attempts to destabilise India through targeted attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani.
A spokesperson at the US embassy described the allegations as “disappointing” and asserted that the US government has been a champion of media freedom around the world, PTI reported.
Rajya Sabha Chairman meets Kharge, Nadda
Amid uproar by treasury and opposition benches when the Upper House re-assembled at 3 pm after three adjournments earlier in the day, Chairman Dhankhar informed that a meeting was held in his chamber between Leader of the House JP Nadda and the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and emphasised unity in combating internal and external forces undermining India. He appealed for collective action to neutralise divisive elements and ensure that Parliament reflects the aspirations of 1.4 billion citizens.
Despite these calls for unity, the session remained mired in chaos, underscoring the deepening rift between the treasury and opposition benches over the government’s handling of key issues.
"The purpose of that meeting was to ensure that the House runs smoothly. Both sides had a frank discussion and they signalled two things. One, that integrity, and sovereignty of the nation are sacred for us. We cannot allow any forces within the country or outside to sacrilege our unity, our integrity and our sovereignty," Dhankhar said, adding that the leaders have agreed to meet in his chamber again at 10:30am on Tuesday.
"Any challenge to the unity and integrity of the nation from within or outside requires all of us to offer a united challenge ... It is a challenge to our very existence. We as a nation are committed to fighting the sinister forces, the forces that are inimical to India... a deep state that is evolving is required to be neutralised by all of us," he said.
Recommended Topics