'Why Rahul Gandhi hobnobbing with those funded by Soros': Smriti Irani slams Congress after FIR against Amit Malviya

Hours after the Karnataka Police filed an FIR against BJP's Amit Malviya for a tweet against Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday slammed the Congress, saying it did not answer whether its former chief met Sunita Vishwanath during his trip to the US. She alleged that Gandhi was hobnobbing with those backed by George Soros, a Hungarian-American businessman, who is accused of funding groups to change regimes.  

"The question that has been left unanswered by the Congress party is - Is it true that Rahul Gandhi met Sunita Vishwanath during his trip to the US?" she asked during a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday. "When it is clear to every Indian what George Soros intends to do, why is Rahul Gandhi hobnobbing with those who are funded by Soros?"

Irani, who defeated Rahul Gandhi in the last Lok Sabha election from Amethi, said that it was also evident that this was not the only Soros connection. She said even during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, Salil Sethi, the Global Vice President of the Open Society Foundation, funded by George Soros, was found accompanying Rahul Gandhi.

"What is extremely distressing is the link with the Islamic Circle of North America. Those in the public domain who will research how the registration process for NRI interaction with Rahul Gandhi in New York ensued will find the contact of Tazeem Ansari - he has an organisational link with Jamaat-e-Islami," she said.

Earlier today, the Karnataka Police filed an FIR against BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya for alleged defamation and instigation of people against Congress and Rahul Gandhi. The case against Malviya was registered over his tweet about Gandhi. "Rahul Gandhi is dangerous and playing an insidious game," Malviya had written on his social media handle.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, too, slammed the Congress, saying the FIR was "politically motivated". "The FIR filed against Amit Malviya is politically motivated. Plain and simple. The case is registered under 153A and 505(2) of the IPC for his alleged statement against Rahul Gandhi," he tweeted.

"Both the above sections deal with promoting enmity between groups. So, what is Rahul Gandhi? An individual or a group or a class? We will challenge this in court and ensure justice," he added.