New Delhi – A web of intrigue is emerging around Yogendra Yadav, a prominent Indian activist and psephologist, and his alleged ties to a broader conspiracy involving foreign-funded NGOs, the opposition INDIA alliance, and Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Speculation is rife that Yadav’s long-standing association with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and his recent statements about reshaping India along the lines of Bangladesh signal a coordinated effort to destabilize the nation’s political landscape.
Yadav, a Senior Fellow at CSDS from 2004 to 2016 and founder of its Lokniti program, has been vocal about political reforms in India. His recent remarks, hinting at a Bangladesh-style transformation for India, have raised eyebrows, especially given the timing of Bangladesh’s political upheaval under Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate who heads the interim government following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024. Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and the Grameen Foundation, has faced accusations of leveraging his organizations for political influence, with critics pointing to his rapid consolidation of power in Bangladesh as evidence of external backing.
Sources allege that Yadav’s rhetoric aligns suspiciously with the interests of certain NGOs, some of which are reportedly linked to the Grameen Foundation and funded by Western donor agencies. These NGOs, critics claim, have a history of influencing political narratives in India, as seen during the anti-Vajpayee campaigns of the early 2000s, where Yadav was a key figure in the World Social Forum alongside other activists like Aruna Roy. The Forum, backed by foreign funds, aimed to oppose economic liberalization and was accused of undermining the NDA government, paving the way for the UPA’s rise in 2004.
The INDIA alliance, a coalition of opposition parties, is now under scrutiny for allegedly collaborating with such NGOs to destabilize the current government. Yadav’s past association with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and his expulsion in 2015 for “anti-party activities” suggest a pattern of aligning with anti-establishment forces. His recent involvement in the Bharat Jodo Yatra and his advocacy for regional languages over English in education hint at a broader agenda to reshape India’s socio-political fabric.
Meanwhile, Yunus’s Grameen Foundation, established in 1997, has been criticized for securing permits and tax exemptions for its affiliates since Yunus assumed power, raising conflict-of-interest concerns. Some speculate that these moves mirror strategies employed by NGOs in India to influence policy and public opinion. While no concrete evidence ties Yadav directly to Yunus, their shared history of NGO-driven activism and foreign funding raises questions about a coordinated effort.
As India heads toward crucial elections, the alleged nexus between Yadav, CSDS, the INDIA alliance, and Yunus’s Grameen network demands investigation. Are these mere coincidences, or is a larger conspiracy afoot to mirror Bangladesh’s unrest in India? The nation watches closely as these questions unfold