To most television news viewers seeking a morning update on Parliament proceedings, the scene appeared startling. Congress MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, chanting what sounded like the "Azadi" slogan inside Parliament House. On closer listening, however, it became clear that they were actually chanting “Adani.”
The confusion among ordinary viewers was understandable—the style and tone of the sloganeering closely resembled the famous “Azadi” slogans. Rahul Gandhi's past association with such slogans, including his public alignment with groups at JNU known for chanting them, added to the parallels. Some active members of these groups have since joined the Congress in various capacities. Adding to the spectacle, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders wore specially designed T-shirts and jackets emblazoned with the multi-coloured slogans.
The protest rally and demonstration inside Parliament seemed designed primarily as a photo-op for television and social media. However, it highlighted an apparent lack of consistency in the Congress party's strategy. Just a day earlier, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi were involved in another photo-op—attempting to pick up the Sambhal issue—when their motorcade caused hours-long traffic jams at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border. The abrupt shift to a new issue suggested an effort to seize the narrative of the day after their attempts to disrupt Parliament failed to gain traction. Notably, their alliance partners chose to participate in Parliamentary proceedings and raise issues they deemed more pertinent to public concerns.
Coincidentally, the day's events unfolded alongside a historic development in Maharashtra- the swearing-in of the BJP-led Mahayuti government, with Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister. The Maharashtra verdict was a crushing blow to the Congress and its allies. The Congress achieved the dubious distinction of hitting a new low the state assembly. The situation is so dire that no opposition party can claim the leader of opposition post.
If Congress had intended the protest to divert attention, the attempt fell flat. The BJP deployed its top communicators- Sudhanshu Trivedi in the Rajya Sabha, Nishikant Dubey in the Lok Sabha, and Sambit Patra outside Parliament. They mounted a scathing attack on the Congress, alleging a nexus between Rahul Gandhi and anti-India entities such as OCCRP, Hindenburg Research, George Soros, and the so-called American “deep state.”
The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of undermining India's homegrown energy and infrastructure conglomerate led by Gautam Adani. They alleged that his attacks were based on flimsy charges promoted by agenda-driven foreign entities, aimed at tarnishing India's economic growth story.
The Congress faces a significant challenge in countering these allegations. The BJP's charges are not dismissed as mere rhetoric but are bolstered by facts and coincidences. Rahul Gandhi's controversial statements abroad, including criticisms of India's businesses and institutions and appeals to European and American powers to “restore democracy” in India, lend credence to the BJP's narrative. This ongoing narrative war only strengthens the BJP's firepower against the Congress and its leadership.
A French investigative portal has exposed the inner workings of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), shedding light on its origins, funding sources, staffing patterns, and the significant influence wielded by its major donors. Among these donors are U.S. government agencies such as the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Department of State, and USAID, alongside private entities like George Soros's Open Society Foundations, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Ford Foundation. These revelations align with longstanding suspicions in India that OCCRP operates as a tool for vested interests, advancing premeditated economic and political agendas.
NDTV previously published an article titled "OCCRP's Sham Investigation Thoroughly Exposed". In an exhaustive report titled The Hidden Links Between a Giant of Investigative Journalism and the US Government, Mediapart has exposed that OCCRP's claims of being "totally independent" are, at best, misleading.
Additional intriguing details have emerged since then. One critical observation stands out: Why is there such a recurring pattern of foreign entities releasing reports targeting India or its institutions just before a Parliament session, with Congress promptly using these reports to disrupt proceedings? Consider some examples: the Rafale controversy, Pegasus allegations, the Hindenburg report on Adani, the OCCRP report on Adani, and accusations from U.S. prosecutors targeting Adani. Similarly, during protests like the farmers' agitation or the CAA demonstrations—often fuelled by disinformation and supported by the Congress—foreign players have actively joined efforts to discredit the Modi government and India's broader development narrative.
The Adani Group, a first-generation conglomerate, appears to be a particular target of these coordinated efforts. Its rapid rise challenges long-established American and Chinese companies, competing with them successfully on multiple fronts. Unable to outpace the group through fair competition, these players resort to smear campaigns, launching malicious and unfounded accusations. The strategy aims to tarnish Adani's image, hoping that the resultant damage—both to the group's reputation and India's economy—will persist even after the truth comes out.
However, in today's interconnected world, such tactics often backfire. While vested interests leverage traditional and social media to propagate their narratives, the same tools allow for counter-narratives to emerge swiftly. The exposure of OCCRP's funding partners and the uncanny coordination of Congress, left-liberal factions, and the broader anti-India ecosystem—evident in their activities on social media platforms—have begun to raise questions.
This pattern underscores a concerted effort to undermine India's progress and the success of its enterprises on the global stage.
(The author is Consulting Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
