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Shashi Tharoor slams BJP's ‘attack dog mentality’ as US dismisses ‘destabilising India' claims
The BJP had referred to a French media report published by Mediapart and said that it revealed that OCCRP is funded by the US State Department.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday for its allegations against the United States State Department, calling the ‘attack dog mentality’ an embarrassment for India.
"It's clear the BJP neither understands democracy nor diplomacy. They are so blinded by petty politics that they forget the value of a free press and vibrant independent civil society organisations in a democracy, and they are oblivious to a ruling party's responsibilities in maintaining good relations with key foreign countries. This attack-dog behaviour is an embarrassment to India," the former minister of state for external affairs said in a post on X.
The BJP had pointed out that Rahul Gandhi used reports by OCCRP to attack the Adani Group and to accuse it of having closeness with the current government.
The BJP alleged on Thursday that the US deep state colluded with the media portal OCCRP (Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) and the Indian Leader of Opposition to "damage" India's image.
The OCCRP, headquartered in Amsterdam, is a media platform that largely focuses on stories relating to crime and corruption.
The BJP had referred to a French media report published by Mediapart and said that it revealed that OCCRP is funded by the US State Department's USAID, along with other "deep state figures" like George Soros and the Rockefeller Foundation.
"In fact, 50% of OCCRP's funding comes directly from the U.S. State Department. OCCRP, therefore, functions as a media tool for carrying out deep state agendas," the party said in a series of posts on X.
The US response
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.
"It's disappointing that the ruling party in India would make these kinds of accusations," the US embassy spokesperson was quoted by PTI as saying.
"The US government works with independent organisations on programming that supports professional development and capacity building training for journalists. This programming does not influence the editorial decisions or direction of these organisations," the official added.
Last month, prosecutors in the United States charged 62-year-old Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar and other defendants for paying over $250 million in bribes between 2020 and 2024 to Indian government officials to win solar energy contracts on terms that could potentially bring in more than USD 2 billion in profit. The Adani Group has dismissed the charges as "baseless".
The opposition Congress has demanded a thorough investigation into the allegations and accused the government of shielding the businessman.
