India said the US Agency for International Development (USAID) $21 million fund for ‘voter turnout in India’ in 2012, “raises worries of interference in Indian internal matters, and relevant agencies are looking into it.”

The Ministry of External Affairs’ response to the $21 million ‘India Fund’ sanctioned by USAID came after a political clash between Congress and the BJP. Both parties have termed it “external interference in India’s electoral process.” 

X CEO and Tesla Founder, Elon Musk-led, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – the agency auditing several government agencies in the US and cutting wasteful expenditure – posted last week that they identified $486 million to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,” including $22 million for “inclusive and participatory political process” in Moldova and $21 million for voter turnout in India.”

Congress’ Pawan Khera hit back at the BJP’s Amit Malviya, who attacked the opposition party over the $21 million grant; “This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party (the BJP) for sure!” he said.

Mr Khera’s response was a pointed reminder that in 2012, when the grant was allegedly made, it was the Congress (at the head of the United Progressive Alliance) and not the BJP that was in power.

“… in 2012, when the Election Commission got this funding from USAID, the ruling party was the Congress. So, by his logic: Ruling party was sabotaging its electoral prospects by getting this so called ‘external interference’. And the opposition (BJP) won the 2014 election because of Soros/USAID.”