The Invisible Hands: Was There Foreign Interference in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha Elections? – News18

Was there foreign interference in narrative-building in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a globally significant event given India’s status as the world’s largest democracy and an emerging geopolitical power?

There was unusually high interest of French media in the 2024 elections, particularly highlighting the influential role of French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot. French outlets such as Le Monde published numerous articles with narratives around Islamophobia, undemocratic tendencies, and caste issues in India.

Jaffrelot’s work, especially on caste census, was prominently featured and widely cited, both in French and Indian media, raising concerns about biased and manipulated academic research. Jaffrelot’s influence on the caste census discourse in India. His work, coinciding with significant funding from the US based Henry Luce Foundation for three years (2021-2024), drove a substantial increase in discussions on caste issues, particularly during election seasons.

Analyzing Twitter data from 2010 to 2024 revealed spikes in tweets related to Jaffrelot and caste census, suggesting a coordinated effort to amplify this narrative with a sudden peak in 2021 coinciding with his report on caste census.

The Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) at Ashoka University is partnership between Ashoka University and the University of Michigan with seed funding worth Rs 15 crore. TCPD was co-founded by Gilles Verniers, a Belgian academic and mentee of Christophe Jaffrelot. The center, in collaboration with institutions like Sciences Po and CNRS, focused on political data analysis in India. Despite its significant contributions to political discourse, TCPD was dissolved in September 2023 after Verniers was forced to leave Ashoka University due to tenure issues.

The interconnected academic networks and the influence of international funding on Indian political narratives, raised concerns about academic independence and the integrity of research of TCPD.

The financial and academic networks behind Jaffrelot’s work, focused on funding from the US-based Henry Luce Foundation. The foundation supports the Sciences Po American Foundation, which collaborated with Princeton and Columbia Universities on a project titled “Muslims in a Time of Hindu Majoritarianism” from 2021 to 2024.

The Henry Luce Foundation (HLF), established in New York City in 1936 by Henry Robinson Luce, co-founder of Time Inc., has significantly impacted journalism, higher education, and public policy. Born in China in 1898 to missionary parents, Luce was deeply influenced by his early experiences and his educational background, including his time at Yale and Oxford. His connections extended into the CIA, where he used his platforms to support covert operations and anti-communist activities, including those in Italy and Cuba.

HLF is led by prominent figures who have had significant roles in U.S. governance, think tanks like the Asia Foundation (TAF), the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), all of which have documented links to the CIA.

The Asia Foundation was directly founded by the CIA in 1954 to promote U.S. interests in Asia through educational and cultural activities, originally operating as the Committee for Free Asia. CFR, despite claiming independence, has historically been rumored to have CIA ties and has been a platform for several CIA directors to discuss U.S. intelligence strategies. CSIS, similarly, has had a long association with the CIA, facilitated by its origins within Georgetown University. The leadership of the HLF, including notable figures such as Mariko Silver and John J. Hamre, underscores the intertwined relationships between the foundation’s philanthropic activities and U.S. strategic interests, highlighting the complex interplay of intelligence, influence, and philanthropy in American foreign policy.

The Henry Luce Foundation’s (HLF) controversial funding activities in India, particularly in relation to the Indian General Elections of 2024 (pic below).

The Political Conflict, Gender, and People’s Rights Initiative (PCRes) is another front at the University of California, Berkeley, a significant recipient of Henry Luce Foundation funding. Originally known as the Armed Conflict Resolution and People’s Rights Project, PCRes was reestablished in its current form in 2016. It has been involved in substantial research into the effects of violence on minority communities in regions across India and the political dynamics surrounding Kashmir. Founding Co-Chair Angana P. Chatterji, a central figure in the initiative, has been a vocal critic of India’s policies on Kashmir and other national issues. In April 2021, PCRes received a notable grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. PCRes continues to host events on pertinent issues affecting South Asia, including a recent focus on Hindu nationalism in the context of the 2024 Indian elections.

The South Asia Scholar Activist Collective (SASAC) established in July 2021, comprised scholars, activists, and students from North America, actively opposes Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism. The collective is notable for its advocacy work, such as supporting the Dismantling Global Hindutva event, endorsing the inclusion of caste in anti-discrimination policies at U.S. universities, and backing Seattle’s proposed ordinance to ban caste discrimination. Recent activities of SASAC, including its criticism of U.S. legislation recognizing ‘Hinduphobia’, and the contributions of its members like Dheepa Sundaram, who received a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation for a project on public scholarship concerning Hindu Nationalism.

Network and Funding of Henry Luce Foundation on Indian General Elections 2024 (pic below).

Despite continuous exposure, advocacy groups such as Friends of Democracy persist in shaping narratives around Indian democracy with funding from the HLF, often aligning their agendas with George Soros. The chair of Friends of Democracy, Ricken Patel is a Canadian–British activist and,

• He was on the board of directors of NAMATI, which George Soros is part of.
• Ricken Patel is one of the founding members of Respublica.
• He also cofounded Avaaz and served on its board until 2021.
• He served on the advisory board of Access Now.In March 2023, NAMATI funded ‘Friends of Democracy’ – ‘fight against the ruling party to save India’. Incidentally, another front Friends of Democracy PAC was co-founded by George Soros’ son Jonathan Soros.

Leading up to the Indian elections, Friends of Democracy conducted online discussions titled “Conversations on Indian Democracy” and sponsored the report “The Modi Mirage” critiquing India’s global reputation under the current government. Additionally, Friends of Democracy collaborated with various organizations, including Hindus for Human Rights and the Foundation London Story, in activities such as organizing protests and influencing social media discourse, indicating a concerted effort to shape narratives surrounding the Indian elections.

The underlying purpose of funding academic and scholarly endeavors by philanthropic fronts despite their limited reach and credibility. It highlights the creation of long-term narratives through cross-referencing and legitimization of certain individuals’ works, particularly focusing on scholars like Audrey Truschke and Christophe Jaffrelot.

Despite the presence of numerous experts and academics globally, a consistent group persists in promoting an agenda funded by undisclosed sources and aimed at anti-India propaganda, raising questions about its intentions and parallels with communist-style misinformation campaigns.