Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 23: The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of engaging in “anti-national activities” by spreading misinformation regarding USAID funding in India. The party also demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on why they remained silent as former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk allegedly continued to “insult” India.
The BJP, in response, dismissed the allegations and labeled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a “traitor,” accusing him of conspiring with foreign forces to weaken India.
Congress communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh slammed the BJP, calling it a “procession of liars and illiterates.” He claimed that the widely circulated claim of USAID allocating $21 million for voter turnout in India was entirely false and that the funds were actually designated for Bangladesh.
“Elon Musk made a fake claim, Trump confused Dhaka with Delhi, Amit Malviya spread the lie further, and the BJP machinery amplified it,” Ramesh stated in a post on X.
He further alleged that the controversy stemmed from the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claiming on February 16 that USAID had canceled $21 million in funding for India’s elections. However, Ramesh countered that the funds were never meant for India in the first place.
“The USAID grant mentioned by DOGE was actually part of a $486 million allocation to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), with specific earmarks: **$22 million for Moldova and $21 million for Bangladesh, not India,” he clarified.
Ramesh pointed out that the funds marked for Bangladesh had already been partially disbursed, with $13.4 million reaching the country before its January 2024 elections. He also cited US federal spending records, emphasizing that no USAID-funded CEPPS projects had been allocated to India since 2008.
“The only ongoing $21 million USAID grant to CEPPS, identified as ID 72038822LA00001, was approved in July 2022 for Bangladesh’s ‘Amar Vote Amar’ (My Vote Is Mine) program, which was later renamed ‘USAID’s Nagorik Programme’ in November 2022,” Ramesh revealed.
A USAID official in Dhaka further confirmed this on social media in December 2024, saying, “I manage the $21 million CEPPS/Nagorik project funded by USAID.”
Taking a direct jab at the BJP, Ramesh asked: “Why did the BJP spread fake news about India’s democracy? Why did it indulge in anti-national activities by amplifying misinformation from America?”
He also demanded an explanation from PM Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, questioning why the Indian government remained silent while Trump and Musk continued making misleading statements about India.
“Is India’s self-respect being compromised in an attempt to seek favors for Adani?” Ramesh remarked, alleging that the silence of the government stemmed from corporate interests.
The controversy has escalated as Trump, for the fourth time in recent days, has repeated the claim that the Biden administration allocated $21 million to influence voter turnout in India. The Congress has urged PM Modi to take a firm stand and publicly refute the false allegations.