Union Minister Smriti Irani urged Indians to stand as one against "foreign powers who try to intervene in India's democratic processes" shortly after billionaire investor George Soros anticipated that Indian business tycoon Gautam Adani's recent stock market struggles would spark "democratic revival in India" and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would "have to answer questions."
She referred to Soros' comment as a "declaration to destroy India's democratic processes" and claimed that Indians had previously overcome similar "foreign powers" who had attempted to intervene in our internal affairs and would do so once more. She urged everyone in India to respond appropriately to Soros. The Union Minister attacked the billionaire harshly, calling him an "economic war criminal" who has made it clear that he intends to harm India.
"The man who broke the Bank of England, and is designated by the nation an economic war criminal, has now pronounced his desire to break Indian democracy. Soros, an international entrepreneur, has declared his ill-intention to intervene in democratic processes of India," the BJP leader said.
"PM Modi has repeatedly said that he can take criticism, but an attempt on India will not be tolerated," Smriti said.
Cong too flay Soros
Even as Congress continued to hammer away on the Adani stocks crash issue, it distanced itself from the comment of George Soros. AICC spokesman Jairam Ramesh said, “Whether the PM-linked Adani scam sparks a democratic revival in India depends entirely on Congress, opposition parties and our electoral process. It has nothing to do with George Soros. Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes.”
Ramesh’s formulation pitting Congress’ “Nehruvian legacy” as the bulwark against any attempted foreign intervention in Indian politics, was designed to quash any bid to paint the stocks crash controversy as part of a transnational plot.
Undeterred, Congress continued its attack on the issue. AICC leader Ajay Maken asked why was Modi government scared of forming a JPC on the Adani row, arguing that handing over of strategic sectors like airports and ports to a favoured private company as part of “crony capitalism” is a matter of “threat to national security”.