The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, an independent organisation that fights against organized crime and corruption, saw its reputation and global standing 'torn into pieces' following an explosive investigative report by a leading French paper-Mediapart.
Mediapart published a scathing report that shed light on the network's funding and brazen attempts to target and malign foreign governments in a bid to further its own and financier's interests.
"OCCRP, which brands itself as an independent and non-partisan organization, is funded by US government agencies and works to serve their interests," it said.
The French paper in its investigation has unearthed details of its funding from US-based agencies and laid down details of its financiers, since its inception in 2006.
"Government funding accounts for 70 percent of the annual budget of OCCRP between 2014 and 2023. Around 52 percent of the funds were provided by the US government alone," said the paper in explosive details.
Following the 'expose' on OCCRP's alleged dealings with the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and investors like George Soros, it came under severe criticism from the government, as well as the BJP.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a blistering attack on Thursday on the OCCRP as well as the Congress party for indulging in a nexus to 'destabilise' the country and derail its economic growth.
Sambit Patra lambasted the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi in a press briefing and accused him of aligning with international and anti-India forces, which purportedly are working to destabilize the country.
"I have no hesitation in saying he is a traitor of the highest order," Patra said at a press conference.
A shocking triangular nexus involving George Soros, certain US agencies, and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has emerged. Rahul Gandhi represents the third angle of this nexus. Mediapart report shows that OCCRP receives significant funding from Soros' Open Society Foundation, with 70% of its funding coming from this single source," he further said.
BJP RS MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also hit out at the Bosnia-based OCCRP and recounted incidents wherein it came up with fabricated reports defaming the government while Opposition played along to amplify vile agendas.
On February 3, 2021, a report on Indian farmers was published during the Budget Session of January 2021; on July 18, 2021, the Pegasus report emerged during the Monsoon Session of Parliament; on January 24, 2023, the Hindenburg report was released just ahead of the Budget Session, scheduled to begin on January 31; on January 17, 2023, The BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question' was launched, on July 19, 2023, a video of Manipur violence surfaced a day before the Monsoon Session," Sudhanshu Trivedi said, raising an alarm over foreign interference in India's internal affairs.
He added that the Hindenburg report was also let out a day after the completion of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Ahead of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament that started on November 25, a report by an American attorney targeting one of India's leading business houses was made public on November 20 to achieve ulterior motives.
As per the French daily, the OCCRP has received at least $47 million from the U.S. government, $14 million from European countries (Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Slovakia and France) and 1.1 million from the European Union, since its inception.
Owing to its funding, it remains obliged to further its agenda and also takes pride in crediting itself for 'government downfall' in any country.
OCCRP, the USAID-funded news organization, is said to be in the driver's seat of the 'regime change' operation in Bangladesh.
US State Department has repeatedly disbursed funds specifically to target foreign nations. It doled out $2.2 million between 2015 and 2019 for a hit job titled- Balancing the Russian Media Sphere," the French daily found.
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