Indian intelligence sources have expressed particular concerns over a series of meetings that took between US Consul General Jennifer Larson, who heads the American mission in Hyderabad, and the Indian opposition.
On Monday, Larson met Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), sparking backlash on Indian social media on the apparent motives behind the call-on - their second encounter in recent weeks, by the way.
In the past few weeks, the US diplomat also held talks with Telangana Chief Minister and N Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and the head of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
However, Naidu has opposed the proposed "Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act", which was tabled by the government last week. The BJP-backed bill seeks to regulate the properties managed by Waqf boards, essentially Islamic institutions. According to reports, Waqf are the third-biggest landowners in India at present.
Naidu's opposition to the proposed law, which has been referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for scrutiny, has sparked concerns in BJP circles
More significantly, intelligence sources expressed concerns over the internal political discussions figuring in conversations with American diplomats. Sources didn't rule out the possibility of a "no-confidence motion" against the government over differences on Waqf law.
Meetings between the opposition and foreign diplomats have been a routine affair, especially given that the Andhra-Telangana region has strong Information Technology (IT) industry and people-to-people linkages with the United States.
However, recent developments in the neighbourhood have evoked some genuine concerns.
Dr Abhinav Pandya, Founder and Director of Indian think tank Usanas Foundation, told Sputnik India that there were "genuine apprehensions" regarding the US perceived support for "forces seeking to incite unrest" in India.
In particular, there is a
"strong perception" in the BJP-RSS circles that the US committed serious interventions in the course of the Lok Sabha elections, seeking Prime Minister Modi's defeat due to his independent foreign policy.
"How could one completely brush aside Hasina's own statement made in Parliament last May, in which she had suggested ongoing efforts towards a regime change? Or
her reported statement this week on St Martin Island," Pandya questioned, pointing to the meetings between then-US Ambassador in Dhaka, Peter Haas, and opposition politicians in the country last year.
"There is a strong apprehension that Americans are up to something in India even now. We don't have concrete evidence yet, but there is a widespread perception. These are the games played by the intelligence agencies of various countries. In light of all these developments, if foreign diplomats, particularly the US diplomats, are meeting opposition politicians on a regular basis, then it is a matter of concern," Pandya concluded.