PM’s advisor questions US claim of $21 mn aid to ‘boost voter turnout’ in India
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Economic Advisory Council to PM, also raises doubts about payments said to have been made to Bangladesh and Nepal; calls USAID "the biggest scam in human history"
A senior Indian official has questioned the claim that $21 million was being spent by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve voter turnout in India, wondering who was supposedly getting the money in the country.
“Would love to find out who received the US $21 million to improve voter turnout in India,” Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a post on X.
DOGE announcement
Sanyal’s reaction followed an announcement by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by billionaire Elon Musk that several payments being made from the taxpayers’ money had been axed.
Also read: Musk-headed DOGE cuts $21 mn US funding to increase voter turnout in India
One of this, it said, was $21 million to improve voter turnout in India, $29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh and $20 million to promote fiscal federalism in Nepal.
‘Biggest scam’
“US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled,” DOGE said, listing several payments around the world.
Sanyal also raised doubts about the payments said to have been made to Bangladesh and Nepal, and quipped: “USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”
Dig at media
In another post, Sanyal took potshots at the “mainstream media” in India for his reaction to the DOGE cut.
“Now mainstream media is trying suggest that I am unhappy with DOGE for revealing the fishy money spent by USAID on political interference in India and other countries. Do they really not understand what I am saying or are they just working off the last few pennies of USAID money?”
BJP reaction
DOGE's claim also drew sharp reaction Amit Malviya of the BJP on Sunday.
Also read: Explained | Will the freeze on USAID funding affect India?
"$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 also accused American investor George Soros of having significant influence over India's electoral process, suggesting a link between Soros and the Congress as well as the Gandhi family.
US President Donald Trump chose Musk to head the newly created DOGE to improve governance and curbing wasteful expenditures.