US President Donald Trump has also escalated his attack on the past Biden administration, accusing it of abusing USAID funds to affect foreign elections. On Friday, Trump again made claims that $21 million had been spent in India to increase voter turnout in an attempt to manipulate the 2024 elections. He called this a "kickback scheme," though he did not mention the recipients.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to jump on Trump's claims. Amit Malviya, the chief of BJP's IT cell, posted Trump's statements, speculating that such money could be funding "deep-state assets" against India's interests. Malviya called for probes into possible foreign intervention in India's electoral politics.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also shared these concerns, urging an investigation to find out whether domestic actors, including the Congress party, profited from this so-called scheme.
During his speech to the Republican Governors Association, Trump questioned the wisdom of sending U.S. taxpayer funds to shape voter turnout in India, asking, "Why are we concerned about India turnout? We have got enough problems." He went on to imply that such funding could be for financial kickbacks.
This dispute comes after recent moves by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, which terminated the $21 million grant for boosting voter participation in India. DOGE also cut a $29 million grant for "making the political climate in Bangladesh more robust," alongside other global ventures. These steps were taken after President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised issues concerning perceived U.S. interference within the domestic affairs of other nations.
The BJP has utilized these events to denounce the Congress party, charging it with seeking foreign help to interfere in India's elections. Congress leaders have, in turn, pointed out the BJP's past interactions with international bodies, calling the BJP's position hypocritical.
With the 2024 elections drawing near, these charges of foreign interference have fueled the political debate, with demands for detailed investigations into the sources and intentions of such foreign funding.
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