A George Soros-led foundation benefitting from India's funding of the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent criticism of the American businessman are two separate issues, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The UNDF, set up in 2005 largely after joint efforts by India and the US, implements projects across the globe to support and strengthen civil society, human rights and democratic values.
The UNDF receives funding from nearly 45 member states including India, Spain, the UK and the US.
According to recent media reports, a significant number of projects funded by UNDEF were implemented by organisations connected to Soros’s Open Society Foundation (OSF).
In the backdrop of Jaishankar's criticism of Soros, there were suggestions that while New Delhi was adopting a hardline position against the businessman and OSF domestically, it is not taking the same approach at the UNDEF on the foundation benefiting from its funding.
When asked during a media briefing on the reports, Bagchi said these are completely two separate issues and they are not connected.
He said India, as a responsible member of the UN, participates and promotes various activities that includes contributing to a number of voluntary funds and programmes of the UN including the UNDEF.
"Incidentally the UNDEF receives funding from nearly 45 member states including India. The UNDEF allocates the funds received to numerous projects across the world and the projects are executed by various organisations. And, in this process it is guided by UN norms and procedures," he said.
Bagchi said the external affairs minister's comments related to Soros stand on their own merits and they do not require any clarification.
In February, Jaishankar accused Soros of being "old, rich, opinionated and dangerous" over his adverse remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's democracy. "The external affairs minister's comments stand on their own merits and I do not think they require any clarification. All I would say is that the external affairs minister's main point was that democracy or people's verdict in democracies must be respected; not undermined and this important principle should not be obfuscated," Bagchi said.
On reports that OSF is not being allowed to send money to India by Indian authorities, the MEA spokesperson said it is a completely different issue.
"Insofar any regulatory action against any institution sending money to India is concerned, these are governed by our rules and regulations, and wherever necessary, relevant agencies take suitable measures as per the law," he said.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)