Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday reignited yet another controversy by alleging that foreign powers, led by billionaire investor George Soros’ network, influenced a major decision of the Assam Congress in 2014.

“Sooner or later, it will be known how foreign powers, led by George Soros’ ecosystem, influenced a major decision of Assam Congress in 2014,” Sarma wrote in microblogging site X.

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Sarma also leveled serious allegations regarding national security, claiming that individuals with links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were involved in radicalizing young minds.

He accused certain groups of taking young individuals to the Pakistan Embassy for “brainwashing and radicalization.”

Furthermore, he alleged that some people had deliberately refused to take Indian citizenship for 12 years, participated in a “conversion cartel,” and received foreign funds—including from Soros—to destabilize the country.

“At some point, accountability will be necessary. Simply deflecting responsibility or attempting to shift the focus onto others will not serve as an easy escape route. The nation deserves transparency and truth,” Sarma asserted.

Earlier in the day, Sarma had also raised concerns about Indian laws regarding lawmakers marrying foreign nationals.

Comparing them with rules governing Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers, he pointed out that while IFS officers must obtain government permission before marrying a foreign national—who is then required to acquire Indian citizenship within six months—no such rule applies to lawmakers.

“During my interactions with an IFS officer in Singapore, I learned that officers in the Indian Foreign Service cannot marry a foreign national without prior permission from the Government of India. Moreover, even when permission is granted, it comes with the condition that the spouse must acquire Indian citizenship within six months. Interestingly, this rule does not apply to our lawmakers,” Sarma posted.

He further argued, “Allowing a foreign spouse of a lawmaker to retain foreign citizenship for 12 years is far too long. Loyalty to the nation must always take precedence over all other considerations.”

His remarks have been perceived as an indirect attack on Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, whose spouse reportedly holds a foreign passport. However, Sarma did not mention Gogoi by name.

George Soros, a Hungarian-American billionaire, has been a controversial figure in global politics due to his funding of pro-democracy movements, human rights organizations, and initiatives advocating for greater government transparency.

His Open Society Foundations have been accused by several governments—including India—of interfering in internal political matters under the guise of supporting civil liberties.

In 2023, the Indian government tightened regulations on foreign funding through amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), citing concerns over potential misuse of foreign funds for political and subversive activities.