BJP accuses US State Department of attempting to destabilise India
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the US State Department and "deep state" elements within the US of attempting to destabilise India in collaboration with investigative journalists and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. This allegation comes as a surprise given the strong ties New Delhi and Washington have developed over the past two decades, with both countries expressing a commitment to further strengthening their relationship despite certain differences.
The BJP claims that Gandhi's Congress party is using reports from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which has focussed on the Adani Group's alleged connections with the Indian government, to undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi. OCCRP's articles have also accused Indian state-sponsored hackers of using Pegasus spyware to target government critics, a claim the Indian government has denied.
The BJP's accusations were based on a French media report that suggested OCCRP receives significant funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and other "deep state" figures like financier George Soros. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra reinforced the claims during a media briefing, alleging that OCCRP serves as a tool for advancing a destabilisation agenda orchestrated by the US State Department.
A spokesperson for the US State Department responded, stating that while the US government supports the professional development of journalists, it does not influence editorial decisions of funded organisations. OCCRP, in turn, denied the accusations, maintaining its editorial independence.
The BJP's criticism comes amid ongoing scrutiny over the US indictment of Gautam Adani and his alleged ties with the Indian government, which has led to significant political debate within India. Both Adani and the ruling party have denied any wrongdoing.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Dakshina Kannada: Two girls drown while bathing near Kolyadakatta dam in Kadaba
Mangaluru: Two girl students drowned while bathing near the Kolyadakatta dam area of the Gundya river on Friday evening here in the Kadaba Taluk of the district.
The deceased have been identified as Arpita (15) and Sunita (21), both residents of Vimalagiri in Kutrupadi village.
According to reports, five girl students had visited the river along with their friends as it was a holiday. While bathing in the river, the two students reportedly entered a deeper portion of the water without realising the depth and began drowning.
Those accompanying them tried to rescue the duo, but were unsuccessful, leading to the tragedy.
After receiving information about the incident, Kadaba Police Station personnel visited the spot and conducted an inspection. The bodies were later recovered with the help of local residents.
