Another political row erupted on Friday after reports claimed that $21 million aid by USAID was meant for Bangladesh, not India. BJP accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of colluding with foreign forces to weaken India.
BJP called Gandhi a "traitor" and dismissed the fund claim for Bangladesh as a "cover-up".
While Congress hit out at BJP saying they were trying to divert attention from its own use of foreign funds to "destabilise" past governments led by it.
The grand old party also demanded the government to come out with a white paper on the USAID funding as well as funding from other such agencies.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA ) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the USAID funding claim as a "deeply troubling" one. He said that respective agencies are looking into the matter.
"We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling," Jaiswal said.
The fresh political row erupted after The Indian Express report, citing documents, claimed that "USD 21 million was sanctioned in 2022 for Bangladesh, not India."
US President Donald Trump claimed that $21 million in funding to India for 'voter turnout' was a "kickback" scheme. "USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India's turnout? We have got enough problems. We want our own turnout," he said at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington DC on Thursday.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that the USAID funding came to India to meddle with internal politics and disrupt the electoral process in India.
The BJP accused Congress of using external influence in India's election process since the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the cancellation of USAID funding of "$21 million for voter turnout in India".
BJP's Amit Malviya termed the media report as "fake", saying it discusses USD 21 million in funding to Bangladesh in 2022 but "misrepresents" a reference to USD-21 million funding tranche to "promote" voter turnout in India, reported PTI.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged the entire "USD-21 million USAID funds narrative" perpetrated by the BJP, Modi government's ministers, and its economic advisor, to divert attention from their "own sins" of using foreign funds to destabilise Congress governments in the past.
