From various sources
New Delhi, Dec 12: French investigative journalism outlet Mediapart has strongly condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly distorting its investigative reporting to promote a conspiracy theory involving the United States government, billionaire George Soros, and the Congress party. Mediapart’s publisher and director, Carine Fouteau, issued a statement on Sunday asserting that the BJP exploited its report on the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) to spread “fake news” and serve a political agenda.
“Mediapart firmly condemns the instrumentalisation of its investigative article by the BJP to attack press freedom and promote baseless allegations,” said Fouteau. She expressed solidarity with “courageous Indian and international journalists who report and investigate in India” and reiterated that there were no facts supporting the BJP’s claims.
BJP’s allegations and Mediapart’s rebuttal
Last week, BJP leaders in parliament and social media accused the US State Department and George Soros of funding efforts to destabilize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. They cited Mediapart’s report on OCCRP to claim that the US agency USAID provided significant financial backing to OCCRP projects. BJP MP Sambit Patra reiterated these allegations at a press conference, further accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of collusion.
Mediapart clarified that its report did not suggest any such involvement. It highlighted that while OCCRP receives funds for investigations into global issues such as corruption in Russia, Venezuela, and Mexico, none of its reports indicate US-backed targeting of India. The OCCRP also refuted the BJP’s claims, calling them “simply wrong” and stating that “no donor influences our reporting.”
The US Embassy in India responded to the controversy, describing the BJP’s allegations as “disappointing.” The embassy emphasized that media freedom is a cornerstone of democracy, enabling accountability and informed debate.
Historical context and Rafale allegations
This is not the first instance of tension between Mediapart and the BJP. Since 2018, Mediapart has published reports alleging corruption in India’s purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. These allegations have been consistently dismissed by the Modi government and the BJP.
In its December 2023 report, Mediapart accused India of obstructing a French judicial inquiry into the Rafale corruption claims. “The Indian government is keen to bury at all costs the corruption case concerning the Rafale deal,” the report stated.
Congress responds
Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of jeopardizing India’s international relations to shield businessman Gautam Adani, who is considered close to the Modi government. “No one has the right to risk our relationships with other countries to save one businessman,” Khera said, referencing Adani’s indictment in a US court.
Khera criticized the BJP for using foreign policy to deflect attention from domestic controversies. “This conspiracy has evolved from a state-level issue to an international one since 2014,” he said, calling for accountability.
BJP stands ground
Despite the rebuttals, BJP leaders maintained their position, insisting that the US State Department clarify its involvement with OCCRP. “It is incumbent on them to clarify whether what has been reported is correct,” BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said on Monday.
As the political debate intensifies, Mediapart’s statement and the ensuing international responses underscore the growing scrutiny of press freedom and political narratives in India.