Bid to 'target Indian democratic system', govt ticks off US investor George Soros
New Delhi, February 17
Billionaire George Soros’ expectations of “democratic revival in India” in the wake of the Adani-Hindenburg row on Friday invited sharp rebuttals from the ruling BJP and opposition Congress with both ticking off the US investor, saying that the Indian democratic process alone, and nothing else, determines its domestic electoral outcome.
Assault on India: BJP
Soros wants a weak, pliable government, his attack on India will be met with the might of Indians. — Smriti Irani, BJP
Congress takes dig
Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes. — Jairam Ramesh, Congress
The BJP fielded minister Smriti Irani to slam Soros’ remarks as “attempts to weaken the democratic processes of India at a time when it was rising” and as a “war on the country”.
“Soros wants a pliable, weak government that can serve his interests. But this is a new India. It is not weak. This assault on Indian democracy will be met with the might of India. We have defeated imperialist forces before. We will defeat them again,” Irani said, urging citizens and political organisations alike to denounce the American investor’s “ill intentions” in one voice.
The Congress hit back at Soros too, saying that whether the PM-linked Adani scam sparked a democratic revival in India would depend entirely on the Congress, other opposition parties and the Indian electoral process.
“It has nothing to do with George Soros. Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes,” AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, while Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena asked that “who was Soros and why was the BJP doing a full press conference on him”. Soros, speaking at the 2023 Munich Security Conference on Thursday, predicted that the Adani issue would weaken Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “stranglehold on the federal government and open doors for the much-needed institutional reforms”. “I may be naive but I am expecting democratic revival in India,” the 92-year-old said, calling Modi and Adani “allies”.
“Adani enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market but failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stocks collapsed like a house of cards. Modi is silent. But he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and Parliament,” the business magnate said.
Irani called Soros an economic war criminal who broke the Bank of England, and questioned his pledge of $1billion to “advance personal interests and hurt India’s”.
“This individual seeks to demonise our democracy, weaken our democratic interests and bring an onslaught on the economy of India so he can gain himself…. PM’s image has not been attacked for the first time. A war is being mounted against India,” said Irani.
Soros talks of change of government, so that his hand-picked people can run the country, said Irani.
She questioned the timing of Soros’ remarks, close on the heels of India becoming the world’s fifth largest economy and the US and French Presidents and UK PM publicly expressing gratitude to Modi for creating job opportunities in these three nations, citing Air India’s historic 470 aircraft deal.
