New Delhi: After the US President Donald Trump said that the USAID gave $21 million ‘to my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India for voter turnout’ in India, the Congress on Saturday launched a fresh attack on the PM and demanded a ‘white paper’ on the issue.
Addressing a press conference here, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “PM Modi must talk to his friend, US President Trump and strongly refute the allegation on him that America was about to give $21 million to him and India for increasing voter turnout”.
While demanding a comprehensive white paper on the funds, Khera asked, “Did Narendra Modi take 21 million dollars to influence elections and increase voter turnout or not?”
Khera said that no matter how much foreign funds Narendra Modi brings, he will not be able to weaken the democracy of India.
He said that there was no record of a Consortium for Elections and Political Process strengthening (CEPPS) program matching DOGE’s description in India. CEPPS did have a $21 million USAID contract — not for India, but for neighbouring Bangladesh.
“If the money went to Bangladesh, how can Modi Government be blissfully unaware of this funding in our neighbourhood? Does it not speak volumes about its neighbourhood policy?” Khera asked.
Alleging that nearly a quarter of the money has been received in the last four years, the Congress spokesperson said that the USAID disbursed $650 million to India or 23 percent between US FY2021 and US FY2024. Why and for what purposes did Modi Government receive $650 million between FY21 and FY24?
“Was it working on the US Government’s agenda? We have already given instances how the USAID started the Cashless India campaign in October 2016, a month before the demonetisation disaster was announced by PM Modi. Even Modi ji’s much hyped Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has a USAID stamp,” he alleged.
Khera said, “RSS-BJP and all their ecosystem actors making wild allegations to bolster their fake narrative against credible civil society members, NGOs, political parties, must not only be named and shamed on public forums, but legal action must also be taken against them for spreading lies and misleading the nation.
