Cong asks PM to refute allegations by US President
New York/New Delhi: US President Donald Trump for the fourth time in recent days claimed that the Biden administration allocated $21 million funding to India for “voter turnout”, evoking a sharp response from the Congress which urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “talk to his friend” and strongly refute the allegation.
The Opposition party demanded a white paper on the funds received in India from developmental agencies, aid mechanisms and multilateral forums. It also sought legal action against the RSS-BJP and “their ecosystem” for making wild allegations against credible civil society members, NGOs and political parties.
In Washington, speaking at a ‘governors working session,’ Trump said: “Twenty-one million dollars 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.”
A video clipping from the event was posted on social media by the White House on Friday.
Trump also said that money went to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh to a firm that nobody ever heard of.
“Got $29 million. They got a check. Can you imagine? You have a little firm, you get 10,000 here, 10,000 there, and then we get 29 million from the United States government.
“There are two people working in that firm… I think they’re very happy, they’re very rich. They’ll be on the cover of a very good business magazine pretty soon for being great scammers. $20 million for fiscal federalism, $90 million for biodiversity in Nepal and $47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia. Asia got a lot of money,” Trump said.
In New Delhi, reacting to Trump’s remarks, the Congress demanded a comprehensive white paper on the funds that political parties, individuals, NGOs, organisations received from developmental agencies, aid mechanisms and multilateral forums.
“The white paper should not only focus on USAID funding, but all such agencies which fund both governments, individuals and all other entities under Indian law,” Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera told a press conference.
Khera said the Modi government, its ministers, its economic advisor, BJP’s IT department head, its ecosystem and “one-fourth media,” which acts as cheerleaders for the BJP are desperately tying themselves in knots to somehow prove their allegation of ‘deep state’ and ‘foreign intervention’ with regards to ‘$21 million USAID funds narrative.’
Khera pointed at “three significant developments,” including Trump’s remark about “my friend Prime Minister Modi.”
“More Indian news media outlets have fact-checked the claim by BJP and Modi government’s minister as untrue. Funds went to Bangladesh, not India; although India received USAID funds, but not for increasing voter turnout,” he said.
Now, an American newspaper, Washington Post, has come up with a fact check and “found no evidence that $21 million was due to be spent for voter turnout in India or for any other purpose”, even as the MEA spokesperson called this “very deeply troubling” and announced that “relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter,” he said.
Khera alleged that the RSS-BJP and its ilk are “habitual offenders” in two aspects – crafting fake narratives and propagating lies and seeking external assistance to destabilise the Indian state, democracy and the Constitution.
Khera alleged that there is no record of a Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) programme matching US government’s description in India.
CEPPS did have a $21 million USAID contract — not for India, but for neighboring Bangladesh, he said.
“During 2012, the Anna Hazare movement was at its peak, Arvind Kejriwal was forming his own party, Chief Minister Narendra Modi was gearing to be BJP’s PM candidate. So, who benefitted from these funds? Who got 282 seats in Lok Sabha? The remaining amount started pouring in between US FY2020 and US FY2024,” Khera said.
