New Delhi, Nov 14 Accusing the Congress of inviting “anti-India forces” to its Bharat Summit in Hyderabad, the BJP on Saturday said that Rahul Gandhi’s politics is now crossing the limits of political opposition and moving towards an “anti-national agenda”.
It alleged that the invitees include individuals with links to George Soros-backed networks and a record of anti-India statements, and asked if the Summit is a platform for dialogue or an “attempt to provide another international platform to take up anti-India narratives”.
The BJP questioned the inclusion of Guillaume Long, former Ecuador foreign minister, who was reportedly listed as one of the speakers at the Bharat Summit 2026, hosted by the Congress government in Telangana, and Salil Shetty, former Secretary General of Amnesty International, among others.
BJP national media convenor Ashish Usha Agarwal said Rahul Gandhi’s politics now appears to be crossing the boundaries of political opposition and moving towards an “anti-national path”.
“Whenever a foreign representative questions India’s constitutional institutions, raises doubts about Indian democracy and damages the country’s image, happiness is clearly visible on Rahul Gandhi’s face,” he said.
“Why is he happy when India is accused, but silent when the country’s prestige is enhanced?” he said.
Agarwal accused Rahul Gandhi of first travelling abroad and putting India’s democracy in the dock, and now inviting foreigners to India to make similar allegations.
“Has tarnishing India’s image become the sole agenda of Rahul Gandhi’s politics?” he said.
“Political opposition has its place, but anti-national activities will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Agrawal said Congress must answer what the agenda is behind inviting Guillaume Long to its Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad.
“Long is a Senior Research Fellow at CEPR, which reportedly received $420,000 in grants from George Soros-backed Open Society Policy Center in 2021,” BJP national media convenor Agarwal said in a post on X.
Agarwal also referred to the Enforcement Directorate’s searches at eight premises in Bengaluru in March 2025 allegedly linked to the Open Society Foundations and its beneficiaries in connection with suspected violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
“By inviting individuals like Guillaume Long, is Rahul Gandhi seeking international backing for an anti-India agenda?” he said.
He also questioned whether the Congress was bringing together international forces under the banner of “regime change” to question India’s democratic mandate and weaken its democratic and constitutional institutions.
“Is there a larger political agenda behind this gathering? Rahul Gandhi must answer the nation. What is Congress’s objective in providing a platform to such individuals and networks?” Agarwal said.
“India’s democracy is strengthened by the people’s mandate, not by international networks seeking to undermine it,” he added. Agarwal used the hashtag #AntiIndiaCongress in his post.
Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have to answer the nation. “Is Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad a platform for dialogue or an attempt to provide another international platform to take up anti-India narratives?”
“As per information in the public domain, CEPR, associated with Guillaume Long, reportedly received USD 420,000 in 2021 from George Soros-backed Open Society Policy Center,” he said.
“Salil Shetty, former Secretary General of Amnesty International, made serious allegations against the Indian government over Kashmir in a 2019 Harvard interview,” Trivedi said.
“In March 2025, the ED conducted searches at eight Bengaluru premises linked to Open Society Foundations in connection with alleged FEMA violations,” he claimed.
“Why is Congress bringing such individuals and international networks onto its political platform? This creates deep suspicion about the larger agenda. So, the onus of an unequivocal answer is on Congress,” he added.
In a separate post on X, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that speakers at the Bharat Summit 2026 included individuals with links to George Soros-backed networks and a record of anti-India statements.
“Dirty narrative by Congress EXPOSED! Bharat Summit 2026 speakers organized by Congress include individuals with links to George Soros-backed networks and a record of anti-India statements,” he said.
Referring to Guillaume Long, Bhandari described him as a Senior Diplomatic Advisor at The Hague Group and a Senior Fellow at CEPR, which he claimed had been linked to George Soros-backed Open Society funding.
He also named Patrick Gaspard, former president of the Open Society Foundations, among the speakers. “Rahul Gandhi wants to bring regime-change operators into India’s political discourse while preaching about democracy,” Bhandari alleged.
He also used the hashtag #AntiIndiaCongress in his post.
In another post, Bhandari accused Rahul Gandhi of acting as a “puppet of foreign powers” and seeking instability in India.
“Rahul Gandhi has become a puppet of foreign powers and George Soros who want instability in India,” he said.
“His begging for removal of the Modi government with foreign delegates and members of George Soros present proves that Rahul is against Indian democracy and wants foreign interference in Indian democracy,” he alleged.
“Rahul Gandhi wants regime change with foreign help. Rahul Gandhi is no longer LoP; he is behaving as a puppet of foreign powers wanting instability in India. Congress is anti-India,” Bhandari added.
The Congress has said that experts from 70 countries will attend the event for deliberations on the emergence of a new global order and India’s strategic responses to the developments, besides issues like cooperative federalism and electoral integrity.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged on Friday that 115 of the 315 speakers cleared by the external affairs ministry for the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad ended up being refused entry to India or having their visas cancelled.
Visa matters are “sovereign functions” of any government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday, responding to reports that multiple foreign speakers, including Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, had their visas revoked or denied ahead of the Bharat Summit.
Several other BJP leaders also posted similar messages on their social media handles with the “AntiIndiaCongress” hashtag.
(PTI News)
