The BJP on Monday linked Sonia Gandhi to an organisation that it said advocated an independent Kashmir and was associated with billionaire US philanthropist George Soros, days after similarly targeting Rahul Gandhi.
On Sonia’s 78th birthday, BJP members attacked the Rajya Sabha MP inside and outside Parliament, alleging she was associated with forces trying to “destabilise India”. Sonia was not in the House.
Last week, the BJP had accused Sonia’s son and Lok Sabha leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi of being “hand in glove” with Soros, a Hungarian American the ruling party accuses of trying to undermine the Indian economy and destabilise the country.
The BJP sees these attacks on the Gandhis as a “fitting reply” to Rahul’s attempts to link Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Gautam Adani, whose business conglomerate faces bribery charges in the US.
The Soros-Adani row has more or less paralysed Parliament since last Thursday. On Monday, too, business was stalled in both Houses.
BJP national president J.P. Nadda, the leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, attacked Sonia in the House without naming her.
Outside Parliament, however, several BJP leaders named Sonia as they echoed Nadda’s accusations.
“One lady member in this House is the co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific. This FDLAP sees Jammu and Kashmir as a separate entity,” Nadda told the Rajya Sabha amid loud protests from the Opposition benches.
Nadda said the FDLAP was linked to Soros. He added: “Its (FDLAP’s) financing support system is linked to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. It tarnishes the image of India and poses a threat to our security system. The nation is concerned over the way Congress is playing with the interest of the country.”
Nadda sought a discussion on the matter in the House but Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected the demand.
Questioned on the subject at a media interaction, BJP parliamentarian Sudhanshu Trivedi was more explicit.
“Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation is one of the co-chairpersons of the FDLAP…. What is the connection of the Congress with the FDLAP?” he said.
“Are the anti-India and pro-Pakistan things written in the FDLAP written with your (Congress’s) understanding? Does the Congress have any connection with traitors?”
Earlier, the BJP had raised the alleged Congress-Soros link as soon as the Rajya Sabha assembled for the day, countering the Congress-led Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the US bribery charges against Adani.
After one adjournment, around a dozen BJP and NDA members had their say on the subject when Dhankhar allowed them to speak during Question Hour. They did not name Sonia directly. After another adjournment, Nadda spoke on the matter in the afternoon session.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress MP and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, countered: “What the leader of the House (Nadda) said is a lie. It is wrong to raise the issue like this and damage the image of a member who is not present.”
Before Kharge could continue, Dhankhar adjourned the House again and summoned him and his BJP counterpart, Nadda, to the Chairman’s chamber. When the House reassembled at 3pm, the Opposition protest continued and the House was adjourned for the day.
The Opposition is planning to submit a notice for the removal of the Chairman under Article 67 of the Constitution, accusing him of being partisan.
Rahul and his party MPs continued their protest against Adani on Parliament premises. Wearing Modi and Adani masks, Congress members chanted “Modi, Adani ek hain” and “We want justice”.
Rahul was seen conducting a mock interview of his masked party MPs. He asked two of them about their relationship. “We are together…. He does whatever I say and want,” an MP in an Adani mask replied, referring to another who had donned a Modi mask.
