Did US funds influence Indian elections? Veena Reddy’s role under scrutiny

Washington D. C.: A fierce war of words has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress following former US President Donald Trump’s remarks about a $21 million fund allegedly allocated for voter turnout in India. The controversy has reignited a political battle, with the BJP linking Trump’s comments to Rahul Gandhi’s 2023 remarks about democracy in India, while the Congress has demanded a white paper on US funding to Indian institutions.

BJP slams Congress, links Trump’s remarks to Rahul Gandhi

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad took a sharp jab at Congress, accusing Rahul Gandhi of seeking international support for electoral gains. Prasad played audio clips of both Trump and Gandhi, highlighting Gandhi’s 2023 statements in the UK, where he had expressed concerns about democracy in India. “It is a matter of shame what the Congress has done. Rahul Gandhi has made a joke of Indian democracy abroad and sought help from democracies abroad. It means he sought support to help him win as the Congress keeps losing elections,” Prasad said. Trump, while defending his decision to cancel USAID funding, had questioned the necessity of spending American taxpayer money on India's voter turnout. “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected,” Trump stated.

Congress dismisses claims, demands government clarity

The Congress has strongly refuted Trump’s allegations, calling them “nonsensical.” The party has demanded transparency from the Indian government regarding US funding to both governmental and non-governmental institutions over the years. Congress leaders argue that the BJP is using Trump's comments for political mileage rather than addressing the real issue of foreign influence on India’s electoral process.

Veena Reddy’s role in USAID funding under scrutiny

Amid the controversy, attention has also shifted to Veena Reddy, former India director for the US Agency for International Development (USAID). BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani raised concerns about her tenure in India and questioned whether USAID funds were misused to influence elections. “So, DOGE has discovered that USAID allocated $21 million for ‘voter turnout’ in India, a euphemism for paying voters to cast their votes to effect regime change. Veena Reddy was sent to India in 2021 (ominous?) as head of USAID’s Indian mission. Post Lok Sabha elections 2024 (presumably her voter turnout mission done), she returned to the US. Pity because investigating agencies here could have asked her some questions about who this money was given to for applying it to voter turnout operations,” Jethmalani posted on X. With both parties locked in a heated exchange, the controversy surrounding US funding for voter turnout in India continues to spark political tensions ahead of the elections.