George Soros’ Statement about PM Modi over Adani issue Sparks Political Uproar in India

New Delhi: 92-year-old billionaire and philanthropist George Soros feels, the turmoil at Gautam Adani’s business empire may weaken Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hold on the government.

Soros, in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Thursday, said Modi would “have to answer questions” from foreign investors and Parliament on allegations the Adani group is facing.

Soros alleged that Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies; their fate is intertwined. “Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards. Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in Parliament,” Soros said without providing any evidence for his claim.

“India is an interesting case. It’s a democracy, but its leader Narendra Modi is no democrat,” Soros claimed. According to him, Modi maintains close relations with both open and closed societies.

This opinion of Soros was strongly countered by BJP. The party termed it as an attack on Indian democracy. Union Minister Smriti Irani met media to condemn statements of Soros. The ruling BJP said Soros was not only targeting the Prime Minister but also the Indian democratic system. This war is being mounted against India and what stands between the war and India’s interests is Modi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani told reporters. “Everyone should condemn his remarks in one voice”, she said.

“Whether the PM-linked Adani scam sparks a democratic revival in India depends entirely on the Congress, Opposition parties & our electoral process. It has NOTHING to do with George Soros. Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes,” tweeted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned why the BJP was doing an entire press conference on Soros. “Who is George Soros and why is BJP ‘s Troll Mantralaya doing an entire press conference dedicated to him? BTW, Mantriji any comment on an Israel agency’s interference in India’s electoral process? That is a bigger threat to India’s democracy,” she tweeted.