Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 17 (ANI): A day after the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cancelled a 21 million USD fund marked for ‘Voter Turnout in India’, the BJP raised the issue claiming that it proved an instance of interference in India’s electoral process.
BJP leader Nalin, Kohli said “Why would any US agency wish to give $21 million for election-related work in India? Would that not amount to interference in India’s electoral process? We are the world’s largest democracy. Free and fair elections are held here. Institutionally there are mechanisms that ensure free and fair elections including the Election Commission of India…”
He further stated that instances similar to these had been seen in the past where Congress engaged with organizations like Cambridge Analytica to create an influence in order to interfere with the country’s election process.
“In the past, we have seen certain political parties like Congress even engaging with organizations like Cambridge Analytica in an attempt to create some kind of influence that may change around or interfere with the election process…Certainly, if anyone has received money under it, that has to be made clear and if something like that is being stopped it is in the larger interest of freedom of democracy without interference…” Kohli said.
Supreme Court Senior advocate and BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani said that it was up to the Indian agencies vested with power to protect the integrity and sovereignty of the country to seize the USAID’s accounts in India.
“It’s up to our agencies vested with the power to protect the integrity and sovereignty of India to seize USAIDs accounts in India and follow the disbursal trail of the $21 million earmarked for the voter turnout project and unearth the stooges of rhe Democratic Deep State. They should then be visited with the full force of the law dealing with subverting the Indian State – in common parlance TREASON,” Jethmalani’s post read.
Economist and Member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council Economic Advisory Council Sanjeev Sanyal claimed that USAID was the biggest scam in the human history.
In a post on X, Sanyal wrote, “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve “voter turnout in India” and the US$29mn to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”; not to mention the US$29mn spend to improve “fiscal federalism” in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”
“The report in a section of Media about an MoU by ECI in 2012 when I was CEC , for funding of certain million dollars by a US
agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact . 1/2
— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) February 16, 2025
Responding to the debate, former CEC SY Quraishi said that in 2012 there was an MoU with International Foundation for Electoral Systems for training but no financing was involved in the MoU.
“The report in a section of Media about an MoU by ECI in 2012 when I was CEC, for funding of certain million dollars by a US agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact. Yes , there was a MOU with IFES in 2012 when I was CEC like we had with many other agencies and Election Management Bodies to facilitate training for desirous countries at ECI ‘s training and resource centre, IIIDEM, which was very new at that stage. There was no financing or even promise of finance involved in MoU, forget X or Y amount. The MoU in fact made it clear in black and white that there would be no financial and legal obligation of any kind on either side side. This stipulation was made at two different places to leave no scope for any ambiguity. Any mention of any funds in connection with this MoU is completely false and malicious,” Quaraishi posted on X.
US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled:
– $10M for “Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision”
– $9.7M for UC Berkeley to develop “a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills”
– $2.3M for “strengthening…
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 15, 2025
On February 16, DOGE posted a list of cancelled US taxpayer-funded initiatives with a mention of USD 21 million earmarked for “voter turnout in India.”
BJP’s Amit Malviya claimed “external interference” in India’s electoral process.
“$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” Malviya posted.
“It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests–those who seek to weaken India at every opportunity,” Malviya posted on X.
He alleged that the shadow of George Soros, a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, shadow looms over India’s electoral process.
“In 2012, under the leadership of S.Y. Quraishi, the Election Commission signed an MoU with The International Foundation for Electoral Systems–an organization linked to George Soros’s Open Society Foundation, which is primarily funded by USAID. Ironically, those questioning the transparent and inclusive process of appointing India’s Election Commissioner–a first in our democracy, where previously the Prime Minister alone made the decision–had no hesitation in handing over the entire Election Commission of India to foreign operators,” Malviya said in his post on X.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that DOGE is seeking access to a heavily guarded Internal Revenue Service system that includes detailed financial information about every taxpayer, business and nonprofit in the country. (ANI)
, https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/bjp-alleges-interference-on-21-million-usd-fund-for-voter-turnout-in-india-cancelled-by-us-doge20250217111718
