New Delhi, February 25 The Congress on Wednesday cited several email exchanges made public under the 'Epstein Files' in the US to allege that the foundation of the India-Israel relationship after 2014 was laid and shaped by convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said India's foreign policy regarding Israel and Palestine has always been based on the 'two-nation' theory, but an "America-Israel lobby" changed the state and direction of the decades-old foreign policy.
"Jeffrey Epstein is a notorious sex offender for the common people, but a hero for the Modi government's foreign policy. Even after his death, Jeffrey Epstein lives on in the Modi government's decisions and policies," Khera alleged at a press conference, with a large, movie-like parody poster, 'Jeffrey Ne Bana Di Jodi', behind him.
"Recently, I heard Narendra Modi say -- 'I built a robot in my childhood, for which I even received a medal'. The same thing is said by (US President Donald) Trump, (Israeli premier Benjamin) Netanyahu, and Epstein -- that we have built a robot named Narendra Modi, who is the prime minister of India," Khera said, taking a swipe at the prime minister.
The Congress made these allegations against the government while the prime minister is in Israel for a two-day visit.
Khera said that on January 4, 2017, BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri emailed Epstein, stating that he needed to meet, and the meeting was scheduled for January 6.
"Immediately after this, Epstein emailed another person, Deepak Chopra, and inquired about Anil Ambani. Finally, Epstein and Anil Ambani met on February 21, 2017. The question is – on whose signal did Epstein set out to find Anil Ambani with someone else's help," he asked.
Khera cited several email exchanges between Epstein and Ambani. He claimed that Epstein introduced Anil Ambani to former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak via email on February 23, 2017. Khera also cited email exchanges between Epstein and Barak related to India.
"India's Israel strategy's framework was decided like this. The foundation of India-Israel ties post-2014 was laid down by Jeffrey Epstein....Ehud Barak, Jeffery Epstein, Hardeep Puri...this is how our foreign policy was shaped," he alleged.
There was no immediate reaction from Ambani, Puri, the BJP or the government on the allegations made by Khera.
Between 2014 and 2017, when Hardeep Puri, now a Union minister, was meeting Epstein, Ehud Barak's close associate and a major Mossad agent, Yoni Koren, was living in the same apartment, Khera alleged.
"It's deeply alarming. In whose hands is our country's government playing? In this situation, India's biggest threat today comes from those who are seated in the government itself," he alleged.