New Delhi: A police case should be lodged against Congress's Sonia Gandhi over her association with a forum that openly supports secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani has contended. Mrs Gandhi, he pointed out, has not issued any denial or distanced herself from the website, she is criminally liable and a police case should be filed against her immediately under UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act), he told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
"If you go on the website, you will find there is a whole chapter on Kashmir and says the way to solve the problem in South Asia is to secure independence for Jammu and Kashmir. That's the agenda, that's what they are promoting. And Sonia Gandhi is the co-founder of this. It's happening under her very nose. I mean, at at least she should come out and say that 'You know, I, I didn't actually read this objectives and platforms and aims and objectives of this organisation'. But no, we are getting a very conspicuous silence," he said.
The BJP has been on the warpath this week, alleging that senior Congress leaders are in league with billionaire investor George Soros to destabilise the country. As evidence, they have cited the Forum of Democratic Leaders - Asia Pacific, to which Sonia Gandhi is linked.
Earlier today, Mr Jethmalani, in a post on social media platform X, contended that Mrs Gandhi be named in a police case and arrested.
"Sonia Gandhi's co-presidency of the Forum of Democratic Leaders - Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) not only establishes her links with GeorgeSoros, as the Forum is heavily financed by the George Soros Foundation, but also exposes her to grave criminal charges under the UAPA in view of the public advocacy of independence for Kashmir by the Forum,"his post read.
"The promotion of secessionism is a grave offence under the UAPA, and the NIA must swing into action and lodge an FIR. The Gandhi/Vadra dynasty has escaped the clutches of the law for too long in corruption cases - #Bofors, #Agusta, #NationalHerald, et al. India's integrity, however, is too serious a matter for a delayed or tardy investigation or trial," he added.
The Forum of Democratic Leaders - Asia Pacific is funded by the George Soros Foundation and its views on Kashmir, Mr Jethmalani said, is on its website.
Asked why no action has been taken in the decade when the BJP has been in power, he said the forum has nt been active in India and the matter was not known.
"It came to notice now. As soon as it did, it was taken up by the party in power," he added.