New Delhi:
In the wake of US President Donald Trump’s contentious comments on USAID funding to India, a heated political row has erupted between the BJP and the Congress. On Thursday, Trump raised eyebrows by questioning the allocation of $21 million for “voter turnout” in India, suggesting it might be an attempt to influence the electoral outcome.
Trump’s remarks, made during the Republican Governors Association meeting, sparked immediate backlash from the Congress, which labeled his claims as “nonsensical.” Congress General Secretary and Communication-in-charge Jairam Ramesh called for the Indian government to release a White Paper detailing USAID’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades.
The BJP retaliated by accusing the Congress of seeking foreign funds to undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election in 2014. BJP sources highlighted that during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, the government received $204.28 million, while NGOs received $2,114.96 million. However, this funding significantly decreased once the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power, with government funding dropping to $1 million between 2014 and 2015, although non-profit funding increased to $2,579.73 million.
The BJP also pointed out that George Soros’s OCCRP, which has produced reports critical of the NDA government, received $47 million. According to BJP sources, the focus of USAID funding has shifted from direct government involvement to supporting what they describe as “anti-India/anti-national forums” in India.
Jairam Ramesh, in a post on the social media platform X, emphasized the need for transparency. “USAID, established on November 3, 1961, is currently under scrutiny. The claims made by the US President are nonsensical. Nonetheless, the Government of India should issue a White Paper detailing USAID’s support to various institutions in India,” he stated.
The controversy gained momentum after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) listed the $21 million allocation for voter turnout in India on February 16. Trump’s subsequent comments fueled the debate, with him questioning the rationale behind spending such a significant amount on voter turnout in India and suggesting it could be part of a larger scheme to influence elections.
