What are the conspiracy theories about George Soros? Why is this Jewish-American businessman controversial in different countries?

New Delhi: Politics has once again started in India regarding American billionaire George Soros. On December 9, the BJP accused the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha of colluding with ‘international forces’ like George Soros to allegedly destabilize India. Soros has always been at the center of conspiracy theories. Because of this, he is a controversial figure not only in India but also in many countries.

George Soros is accused by right-wing groups of creating global protests or crises to advance their political agenda. Soros is an extremely controversial figure. But for his supporters, he is a committed, visionary and philanthropist committed to advancing democracy, human rights and open society. At the same time, his critics consider Soros a crooked and powerful billionaire who uses his wealth to destabilize economies and influence the political affairs of sovereign nations.

George Soros and his Open Society Foundation have been described as ‘agents of destruction’ by governments and opposition groups in many countries. He was also described as an important character in the alleged conspiracy to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin. Along with this, he has also been accused of creating instability in the European Union due to migration and funding the Arab Spring Protests.

Has played a role in currency manipulation!
It is being said that the Asian financial crisis of 1997 arose because of Soros. He has been accused of manipulating the currency of Malaysia and Thailand. In the UK, Soros is known as the person who ‘ruined’ the Bank of England. Allegedly, Soros first borrowed pounds and then sold them. This weakened the UK currency. Soros allegedly made a profit of one billion dollars from this entire transaction.
A Bloomberg report states that due to this currency manipulation, power changed in many Asian countries. For the first time in South Korea, an opposition candidate won the presidential election. Despite three decades of economic growth in Indonesia, Suharto had to lose power.

George Soros and Open Society Foundation
George Soros started the Open Society Foundation in 1984. The foundation claims that its team is working to promote the values ​​of democracy, justice and human rights in more than 120 countries. Soros describes himself as a helper of the needy. His website claims that Soros has so far given $32 billion from his personal wealth to help the needy.

According to a Forbes report, in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2020, Soros promised $1 billion to fund a new university network to tackle the spread of nationalism. In that speech, he criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Allegations of conspiracy to change power
George Soros and his organization Open Society Foundation have also been accused of conspiring to change power. In 2016, Russian news agency Sputnik claimed in a report that the Open Society Foundation was plotting to remove Putin from the post of President. Sputnik claimed that the Open Society Foundation and George Soros are using money and influence to impose their views across the world.

George Soros and Open Society have been accused of plotting a coup not only in Russia but also in America. In 2011, there were large-scale protests in America. George Soros was accused of funding these protests. It was alleged that George Soros was plotting to incite rebellion in America just like the Arab Spring. It was also alleged that Soros had funded the local organizations behind the Arab Spring. In 2011, a wave of rebellion arose in many countries of the Middle East. In this, there was a coup in countries like Tunisia and Egypt.

Soros has been spewing venom against India
George Soros has been spewing venom against India as well. While giving a speech at the World Economic Forum in 2017, Soros had said, ‘The biggest and most horrific setback has been in India, where democratically elected Narendra Modi is creating a Hindu nation. Punitive measures are being implemented on Kashmir. Millions of Muslims are being threatened with stripping them of their citizenship.’

Regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and the Citizenship Amendment Act, Soros had said, the Prime Minister is punishing the people of Kashmir by imposing restrictions on it and threatening to strip millions of Muslims of their citizenship.

Last year, when the Hindenburg report came out, Soros had said anti-India things even then. George Soros said, ‘Modi and Adani are close. Adani tried to raise funds in the stock market, but he failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation, his stocks collapsed like a house of cards. Modi is silent on this issue, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in Parliament.’

The then Union Minister Smriti Irani retorted to this and said that efforts are being made to weaken India’s democratic structure from foreign soil. George Soros has tried to interfere in India’s democracy and Prime Minister Modi is his target. Irani alleged that Soros wants to destroy Indian democracy and wants his ‘chosen people’ to run the government here.

Who is George Soros?
George Soros was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1930. According to the information on his website, when Jews were being killed in Hungary during the Second World War, his family saved their lives by making fake IDs. After the World War ended, when a communist government was formed in Hungary, he left Budapest in 1947 and came to London. Here he worked as a railway porter and a waiter in a club. During this time he studied at the London School of Economics.

In 1956, he came to America from London. Coming here, he entered the world of finance and investment and changed his fortunes. In 1973, he launched ‘Soros Fund Management’. He claims that his fund is the biggest and most successful investor in American history. Soros started donating from his wealth from 1979. For the first time, he gave scholarships for studies to black African students facing apartheid.

George Soros has married three times. In 1960, he married Annaliese Wischek. Annaliese was a German immigrant who was orphaned during the World War. Soros and Annaliese have three children. However, this marriage did not last long and they got divorced. After divorcing Annaliese, George Soros married Susan Weber in 1983. They had two children. Soros and Susan got divorced in 2005. In 2008, Soros met Tamiko Bolton. Both got married in August 2012. Tamiko is Japanese-American. She was raised in California.