New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday sought to link US President Donald Trump’s comments that the funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India and Rahul Gandhi’s 2023 remarks apparently ruing lack of concerns abroad to protect democracy in the country, claiming that the NGOs aligned to the Congress tried to influence elections here.
Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad played audio clips of Trump and Gandhi, who had made the comments in the UK in 2023, to slam the Congress and its main face.
Prasad said, “It is a matter of shame what the Congress has done. Rahul Gandhi has made a joke of Indian democracy abroad and sought help from democracies abroad. It means he sought support to help him win as the Congress keeps losing elections.”
Referring to his government’s decision to cancel the funding of USAID, Trump said, “Why do we need to spend US $21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected.”
It is a total breakthrough, he added.
Prasad played Gandhi’s audio clip in which he said, “The surprising thing is that the so-called defenders of democracy, which are the US, European countries, seem to be oblivious that a huge chunk of democratic model has come undone, which is a real problem. The Opposition is fighting the battle and it is not just an Indian battle…”
Prasad said the BJP had been raising concerns about foreign attempts to influence the democratic process in India, alleging that the two recordings have established the Congress’ links to the conspiracy.
The Congress, however, has dismissed Trump’s claim as “nonsensical” and demanded that the Indian government bring out a white paper on the US agency’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “USAID is very much in the news these days. It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US president are typically nonsensical to say the least.”
“Even so, the Government of India should bring out a white paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades,” the Congress leader said.
Prasad insisted that his party has now come with a proof to establish its charge against the Congress.
“This is a direct linkage. The big funding flowing into India was to influence polls. It was coming through NGOs aligned with the Congress, which are against Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
