The controversy related to US funding for voter turnout in India has led to a political reaction, with the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) demanding an investigation. According to the media reports, the party claims that the USD 21 million allocation was used to sustain ‘deep-state assets’ in India.
The issue gained attention following US President Donald Trump, addressing the Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting, again raised concerns about American taxpayer money being spent on voter turnout in India. Saying it a ‘kickback scheme,’ Trump also questioned similar allocations for Bangladesh and Nepal.
He further added that such expenditures needed to be scrapped. Donald Trump said, “And USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We got enough problems. We want our own turnout, don’t we? Can you imagine all that money going to India? I wonder what they think when they get it. Now, it’s a kickback scheme. You know, it’s not like they get it and they spend, they kick it back to the people that send it.”
Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell said sharing Trump’s remarks, alleged that the funds were being used to defend and deflect such revelations. “This money is also used to sustain deep-state assets,” he posted on X, hinting at a larger conspiracy.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari asked for an investigation into whether the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi were beneficiaries of these alleged “kickbacks.” The row came into limelight following the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, announced the cancellation of the USD 21 million funding. A list of scrapped US taxpayer-funded projects, posted by DOGE, included the India voter turnout initiative.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called Gandhi a ‘traitor’ and alleged that he was working with external elements to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and destabilise the country’s electoral process. At a press conference in Delhi, Bhatia questioned Gandhi’s silence on foreign interference in Indian politics, specifically in the context of billionaire investor George Soros.
He said, “Many of us have raised concerns about foreign agencies meddling in Indian elections, especially against Modi ji. Why should a foreign agency be involved in any way in our electoral process?”
Bhatia claimed that Gandhi’s opposition to Modi comes from his hatred for India and he was seeking external support to defeat the prime minister. He said, “He is taking help from foreign forces. They are not just after Modi ji; they want to destroy India’s democracy because, under his leadership, India has become a global leader”.
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