NEW DELHI: The Congress party has intensified its attack on the BJP, demanding answers over US President Donald Trump’s claim that he gave $21 million to ‘friend’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boost voter turnout in India.
At a press conference on Saturday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera ridiculed the BJP’s silence, calling the controversy “a matter between two friends.” He accused the ruling party of benefiting from foreign funds and questioned where the alleged money went.
“Trump’s statement proves he sent this money to Modi to influence elections. Since we have been questioning voter turnout trends, is this increase due to foreign funds?” Khera asked, demanding a White Paper on funds received by political parties and cultural outfits.
Citing a Washington Post report debunking claims of US funding for India’s elections, Khera alleged that the RSS-BJP ecosystem has been making “wild allegations” against civil society while benefiting from USAID funds. He pointed out that USAID disbursed $650 million to India between FY 2021 and FY 2024 and questioned its purpose.
The Congress leader further highlighted past USAID disbursements, linking them to key political developments, including the rise of Modi as BJP’s PM candidate and the formation of AAP. “Who benefitted from these funds?” he asked, urging legal action against those spreading “fake 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 boost voter participation in India. Trump quickly amplified the claim, alleging that US taxpayer money was being used to interfere in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Despite The Washington Post’s findings, Trump has continued repeating the allegations without evidence. He recently remarked, “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they (the Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian government.”
Congress demands wider probe into foreign funding, calls out Modi on Trump’s claim
The Congress has urged that the proposed white paper on foreign funding not be restricted to USAID but should cover all financial assistance from foreign entities operating under law. Congress insisted PM Modi must directly refute what it called “baseless” allegations.
“The RSS-BJP and their ecosystem are fabricating narratives against credible civil society groups, NGOs, and political parties. These actors must not only be named and shamed but also face legal consequences for misleading the nation,” said Pawan Khera.
Congress also dismissed the BJP’s claims linking a 2012 agreement between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to foreign electoral influence.
“The IFES was engaged by the ECI to develop a curriculum on election management, not to interfere in Indian elections,” Khera clarified. “The training material was used for electoral officials worldwide, not for domestic polls. The ECI’s website states that 69,362 officials from 109 countries have been trained under this initiative.”
Earlier, Khera had taken to social media to mock the BJP, saying: “In this latest expose on the so-called US funding to increase voter turnout in India, The Washington Post confirms that no such program existed and no such funding was received. For the BJP and its blind supporters, crow is part of their daily diet. Who else will eat crow after this comedy of errors?”
BJP labels Rahul Gandhi a ‘traitor’
The BJP, on the other hand, has been on the offensive, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of seeking foreign intervention to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party has yet to respond to the Washington Post report dismissing the USAID funding claim.
The BJP, however, dismissed the media report as a “cover-up” and branded Rahul Gandhi a “traitor” for allegedly seeking external influence in India’s electoral process. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that the Congress facilitated foreign interference during its tenure, claiming that over $2,000 million in USAID funding entered India between 2004 and 2013, while only $1.5 million was received under Modi’s rule.
‘Worrisome if true’: Jaishankar on USAID funding row, says govt looking into it
External affairs minister S Jaishankar has responded to the controversy surrounding USAID funding in India, calling the allegations concerning and stating that the government is examining the matter. His remarks come amid claims by Trump that $21 million was sent to India to boost voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—a claim dismissed by The Washington Post.
“Some information has been put out there by the Trump administration people, and obviously, that is concerning. I think, as a government, we’re looking into it. My sense is that the facts will come out,” Jaishankar said.
He emphasized that USAID was allowed to operate in India in good faith, but recent allegations from the US suggest otherwise. “USAID was allowed here in good faith, to do good faith activities. Now, suggestions are being laid out from America that there are activities which are in bad faith. It’s worrisome, and if there’s something to it, then the country should know who the people involved are,” he added.
‘My friend PM Modi’
On Friday, US President Donald Trump raised the issue of $21 million funding for ‘voter turnout in India’ for the third day in a row and questioned why such substantial amount was being spent abroad when similar efforts could be made towards boosting voter turnout in United States.
Trump, who had earlier hinted that the funds might have been used to interfere in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections without giving any evidence, took the Prime Minister’s name in his latest remark. “And $21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter Turnout. We’re giving 21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too,” Trump said.
While the BJP has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of seeking foreign intervention to defeat Modi, the ruling party has yet to respond to The Washington Post’s report debunking the USAID funding claim. The opposition, meanwhile, is demanding answers from Modi and the Election Commission on the matter.
MEA calls USAID funding ‘deeply troubling’
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed concerns over foreign interference, stating that authorities were examining USAID’s financial activities. “We have seen information put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling,” Jaiswal said at a press briefing.
Vice President joins the debate
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar voiced concerns over foreign funding’s impact on India’s electoral process, urging those responsible to be “shamed and brought to book.” He called the controversy a “political Covid” designed to weaken Indian democracy.
What the Washington Post report said
According to The Washington Post, the false claim originated when DOGE alleged that USAID had allocated $21 million to India as part of a broader $486 million payment to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), a USAID-funded coalition of non-profits working on democratic governance and electoral processes. However, the report, citing three officials familiar with US aid initiatives, stated that no such program existed in India.
“We were all shocked to see that claim from DOGE. We don’t know anything about elections in India because we have never been involved,” a USAID official told The Washington Post.
Another US official suggested that Musk’s department might have misrepresented the numbers from other programs, saying, “They seem to be conflating figures from unrelated initiatives.”
Despite these clarifications, Trump has doubled down on his claims, repeatedly questioning why US funds were allegedly being spent on voter turnout in India. Earlier this week, he remarked, “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they (the Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian government.”
