NEW DELHI: The Congress occasion has intensified its assault on the BJP, demanding solutions over US President Donald Trump’s declare that he gave $21 million to ‘buddy’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spice up voter turnout in India.
At a press convention on Saturday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera ridiculed the BJP’s silence, calling the controversy “a matter between two buddies.” He accused the ruling occasion of benefiting from overseas funds and questioned the place the alleged cash went.
“Trump’s assertion proves he despatched this cash to Modi to affect elections. Since we have now been questioning voter turnout tendencies, is that this enhance on account of overseas funds?” Khera requested, demanding a White Paper on funds obtained by political events and cultural outfits.
Citing a Washington Submit report debunking claims of US funding for India’s elections, Khera alleged that the RSS-BJP ecosystem has been making “wild allegations” in opposition to civil society whereas benefiting from USAID funds. He identified that USAID disbursed $650 million to India between FY 2021 and FY 2024 and questioned its objective.
The Congress chief additional highlighted previous USAID disbursements, linking them to key political developments, together with the rise of Modi as BJP’s PM candidate and the formation of AAP. “Who benefitted from these funds?” he requested, urging authorized motion in opposition to these spreading “faux narratives” to mislead the nation.
The controversy erupted after Elon Musk’s DOGE platform claimed it had canceled a $21 million USAID grant supposedly meant to spice up voter participation in India. Trump rapidly amplified the declare, alleging that US taxpayer cash was getting used to intrude in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Regardless of The Washington Submit’s findings, Trump has continued repeating the allegations with out proof. He not too long ago remarked, “Why do we have to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I assume they (the Biden administration) had been attempting to get any individual else elected. Now we have obtained to inform the Indian authorities.”
Congress calls for wider probe into overseas funding, calls out Modi on Trump’s declare
The Congress has urged that the proposed white paper on overseas funding not be restricted to USAID however ought to cowl all monetary help from overseas entities working below legislation. Congress insisted PM Modi should instantly refute what it referred to as “baseless” allegations.
“The RSS-BJP and their ecosystem are fabricating narratives in opposition to credible civil society teams, NGOs, and political events. These actors should not solely be named and shamed but in addition face authorized penalties for deceptive the nation,” stated Pawan Khera.
Congress additionally dismissed the BJP’s claims linking a 2012 settlement between the Election Fee of India (ECI) and the Worldwide Basis for Electoral Methods (IFES) to overseas electoral affect.
“The IFES was engaged by the ECI to develop a curriculum on election administration, to not intrude in Indian elections,” Khera clarified. “The coaching materials was used for electoral officers worldwide, not for home polls. The ECI’s web site states that 69,362 officers from 109 nations have been educated below this initiative.”
Earlier, Khera had taken to social media to mock the BJP, saying: “On this newest expose on the so-called US funding to extend voter turnout in India, The Washington Submit confirms that no such program existed and no such funding was obtained. For the BJP and its blind supporters, crow is a part of their each day eating regimen. Who else will eat crow after this comedy of errors?”
BJP labels Rahul Gandhi a ‘traitor’
The BJP, alternatively, has been on the offensive, accusing Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of looking for overseas intervention to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The occasion has but to reply to the Washington Submit report dismissing the USAID funding declare.
The BJP, nevertheless, dismissed the media report as a “cover-up” and branded Rahul Gandhi a “traitor” for allegedly looking for exterior affect in India’s electoral course of. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that the Congress facilitated overseas interference throughout its tenure, claiming that over $2,000 million in USAID funding entered India between 2004 and 2013, whereas solely $1.5 million was obtained below Modi’s rule.
‘Worrisome if true’: Jaishankar on USAID funding row, says govt wanting into it
Exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar has responded to the controversy surrounding USAID funding in India, calling the allegations regarding and stating that the federal government is analyzing the matter. His remarks come amid claims by Trump that $21 million was despatched to India to spice up voter turnout within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—a declare dismissed by The Washington Submit.
“Some data has been put on the market by the Trump administration folks, and clearly, that’s regarding. I feel, as a authorities, we’re wanting into it. My sense is that the info will come out,” Jaishankar stated.
He emphasised that USAID was allowed to function in India in good religion, however latest allegations from the US recommend in any other case. “USAID was allowed right here in good religion, to do good religion actions. Now, options are being laid out from America that there are actions that are in unhealthy religion. It’s worrisome, and if there’s one thing to it, then the nation ought to know who the folks concerned are,” he added.
‘My buddy PM Modi’
On Friday, US President Donald Trump raised the problem of $21 million funding for ‘voter turnout in India’ for the third day in a row and questioned why such substantial quantity was being spent overseas when related efforts may very well be made in direction of boosting voter turnout in United States.
Trump, who had earlier hinted that the funds may need been used to intrude within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with out giving any proof, took the Prime Minister’s identify in his newest comment. “And $21 million going to my buddy Prime Minister Modi in India for voter Turnout. We’re giving 21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I need voter turnout too,” Trump stated.
Whereas the BJP has accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of looking for overseas intervention to defeat Modi, the ruling occasion has but to reply to The Washington Submit’s report debunking the USAID funding declare. The opposition, in the meantime, is demanding solutions from Modi and the Election Fee on the matter.
MEA calls USAID funding ‘deeply troubling’
Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed issues over overseas interference, stating that authorities had been analyzing USAID’s monetary actions. “Now we have seen data put out by the US administration concerning sure US actions and funding. These are clearly very deeply troubling,” Jaiswal stated at a press briefing.
Vice President joins the talk
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar voiced issues over overseas funding’s impression on India’s electoral course of, urging these accountable to be “shamed and dropped at ebook.” He referred to as the controversy a “political Covid” designed to weaken Indian democracy.
What the Washington Submit report stated
In response to The Washington Submit, the false declare originated when DOGE alleged that USAID had allotted $21 million to India as a part of a broader $486 million fee to the Consortium for Elections and Political Course of Strengthening (CEPPS), a USAID-funded coalition of non-profits engaged on democratic governance and electoral processes. Nevertheless, the report, citing three officers aware of US help initiatives, acknowledged that no such program existed in India.
“We had been all shocked to see that declare from DOGE. We don’t know something about elections in India as a result of we have now by no means been concerned,” a USAID official instructed The Washington Submit.
One other US official advised that Musk’s division may need misrepresented the numbers from different packages, saying, “They appear to be conflating figures from unrelated initiatives.”
Regardless of these clarifications, Trump has doubled down on his claims, repeatedly questioning why US funds had been allegedly being spent on voter turnout in India. Earlier this week, he remarked, “Why do we have to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I assume they (the Biden administration) had been attempting to get any individual else elected. Now we have obtained to inform the Indian authorities.”
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