India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concerns over a $21 million USAID fund for voter turnout, citing potential interference in domestic affairs. This response follows political tensions between Congress and the BJP, with both parties labeling the fund as external meddling. Congress’s Pawan Khera contended the ruling Congress was in power during the 2012 grant, challenging BJP’s claims. Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi dismissed allegations tied to the funding, while BJP’s Pradeep Bhandari suggested it favored NGOs associated with Rahul Gandhi. Additionally, ex-President Trump questioned the necessity of the funding for India, suggesting ulterior motives.
India expressed concerns regarding the US Agency for International Development (USAID) allocating a $21 million fund for ‘voter turnout in India’ in 2012, stating that it “raises worries of interference in Indian internal matters, and relevant agencies are looking into it.”
The Ministry of External Affairs’ response to the $21 million ‘India Fund’ provided by USAID followed a political dispute between Congress and the BJP, with both parties labeling it as “external interference in India’s electoral process.” However, the ruling BJP contended in 2012 that the “Congress-led UPA systematically facilitated the infiltration of India’s institutions by entities opposed to the nation’s interests.” Congress, in turn, claimed that only the BJP benefitted from the situation.
X CEO and Tesla Founder Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which audits various government agencies in the US to eliminate wasteful spending, announced last week that they had identified $486 million for the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,” including $22 million aimed at fostering an “inclusive and participatory political process” in Moldova and $21 million for improving voter turnout in India.
Political Row
Congress’ Pawan Khera countered the BJP’s Amit Malviya’s criticism regarding the $21 million grant, asserting, “This indeed is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who benefits from this? Certainly not the ruling party (the BJP)!” he remarked.
Mr. Khera emphasized that in 2012, when the grant was supposedly made, Congress was in power at the helm of the United Progressive Alliance, not the BJP.
“… in 2012, when the Election Commission received this funding from USAID, Congress was the ruling party. So, according to his reasoning: The ruling party was undermining its electoral prospects by accepting this so-called ‘external interference.’ And the opposition (BJP) triumphed in the 2014 elections due to Soros/USAID.”
Not only Mr. Malviya but also BJP’s Nalin Kohli questioned Congress, asking, “Why would any US agency choose to provide $21 million for election-related activities in India? Couldn’t this be seen as interference in India’s electoral affairs?”
In the meantime, Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, who led the Election Commission from July 2010 to June 2012, dismissed the allegations from BJP leaders, stating that in 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was established with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), akin to agreements previously entered and ongoing, intended to train resources in preparation for elections.
“Any implication of funds linked to this MoU is utterly false and malicious,” he asserted.
“BJP’s Pradeep Bhandari accused that a significant portion of the USAID funding was directed to NGOs associated with Rahul Gandhi and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.”
“This is why when US President Donald Trump revealed that most of the $21 million was aimed at ensuring someone other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi is elected, it is clear that the objective was to position Rahul Gandhi in power. Rahul Gandhi was in contact with foreign entities to foster democratic instability,” he continued.
The Congress party has yet to respond to his allegations.
Donald Trump Questions Move
US President Donald Trump, who initiated the DOGE office, questioned former President Joe Biden’s decision to allocate $21 million to India, speculating if they “were trying to get someone elected.”
“Why should we spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? It seems they were trying to elect someone else. We must communicate this to the Indian Government… It’s a total breakthrough,” he stated.
“In less than a month, DOGE has already saved over $55 billion – and we are just beginning… We will significantly enhance our economy by drastically reducing the federal government,” Donald Trump remarked.
The DOGE also indicated that an additional $29 million was earmarked for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh,” a nation that experienced a substantial political upheaval last year when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from office through a student-led revolution, leading to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus taking her place.
Ms. Hasina alleged that foreign powers instigated the turmoil in Bangladesh, which eventually compelled her to flee the country.