In a contentious claim, former President Trump asserted that $21 million of USAID was designated for elections in India, sparking significant political backlash. However, the Indian Finance Ministry clarified that the funds were part of a broader $750 million for 7 projects in India, with the $21 million specifically allocated to Bangladesh.
The Claims
On February 16, Elon Musk led Department of Government Efficiency, posted a list on Platform X that mentioned India getting $21 Million for voter turnout in the elections.
The claim was given a high by President Trump he discredited USAID for its global development programs by speaking against it on several occasions.
During a speech in Miami, Trump satirically said, “What do we need to spend $21m for voter turnout in India for? Wow, $21m. I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected.”
On the very next day, Trump commented on the allegations again by saying, “$21 million was going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout”, he kept on making comments by calling it a ‘Kickback scheme’, also saying, “They take advantage of us pretty good,”
India Reacts
India came under political turmoil because of the American claims, Bhartiya Janata Party criticized the foreign influence and counter-accused the foreign factors of influencing Indian elections, on the other hand, the Congress Party accused the BJP (The ruling party) of spreading misinformation. The spread of this news raised questions about the electoral integrity of India.
BJP leader Amit Malviya, head of the IT Cell, stated that Trump’s claims confirmed there was an attempt to influence the Indian election and to install someone other than Prime Minister Modi.
“Shocked … the democratic process of this country was sought to be manipulated to dent the purity of our electoral system”, said the Indian vice president Jagdeep Shankar.
Congress’s spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, on the other hand, called Musk’s claim fake and said that Trump got confused between Dhaka and Delhi, He also questioned: “The BJP should just answer this: Why did the BJP spread fake news about India’s democracy?”
S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, said that USAID operates in India in ‘good faith’ and any suggestions that it interfered in the electoral matters are ‘concerning’, the Ministry of External Affairs found it ‘deeply troubling’.
The report
A report by Indian Express revealed that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) did not allocate any funds to the Indian government for any purpose. Instead, the report indicated that $21 million was allocated to Bangladesh for political engagement.
The report also highlighted that USAID contributed $750 million to seven projects in India, focusing on sectors such as health, water, sanitation, disaster management, food security, agriculture, and renewable energy. However, according to a Moneycontrol report, more than one-fifth of the USAID funding in India was received in the last four years, totaling $650 million.
The aid relationship between USAID and India began with development projects in 1951. According to PTI, USAID has spent approximately $17 billion on around 555 projects across various sectors in India.
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Haripriya Mishra is a journalist deeply interested in world news and geopolitics. She likes to explore the complexities of global affairs and strives to bring clarity to these issues through thoughtful journalism. Through her writing, she intends to raise the right questions, fostering informed discussions about national and international matters. Haripriya aims to use journalism as a platform to connect with people, share diverse perspectives, and contribute to a deeper understanding of global issues. She is committed to producing content that is accurate, ethical, and impactful. She enjoys creative writing and reflecting on the nuances of media and storytelling.
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