A Rajya Sabha member on Tuesday dared the Centre to shut down the US embassy in Delhi if it was serious about the BJP's claim that organisations funded by George Soros were destabilising India, pointing out that the US state department had given funds to the Hungarian-American businessman.

During the debate in Parliament on the Constitution, CPM member John Brittas also said India, being the fourth largest contributor to the UN Democracy Fund, also contributes to Soros's Open Society Foundations.

The BJP disrupted the functioning of both Houses of Parliament last week demanding a discussion on the purported link between the Congress and Soros.

Brittas asked the government to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to investigate the issue.

"George Soros, in his last innings, must be laughing loud — a country of 1.4 billion people fears an old man," Brittas said, referring to the 94-year-old businessman. "If you are sincere about this, go ahead, file a case against him. You have an extradition treaty — bring him here, take action against him and charge all his alleged collaborators, including the US state department. Close down the US embassy, declare it ‘persona non grata’ and institute a JPC."

"In a way, aren’t you funding George Soros by being the fourth-largest donor to the UN Democracy Fund, which contributes to Soros's Open Society Foundations?” he asked.

Brittas questioned the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Rajya Sabha since the start of the winter session while pointing out that the Prime Minister could spend time with Raj Kapoor's family.