The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp attack on the Congress on Tuesday following reports that the United States, through its foreign aid agency USAID, had allocated $21 million in 2012 to boost voter participation in India.
The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently announced its decision to cut down on expenditures by withdrawing financial aid to several nations, including the $21 million grant aimed at increasing voter engagement in India. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, while addressing a press briefing, questioned Congress regarding the entities that accepted foreign funds to "influence" and "disrupt" India’s electoral process.
“We demand a clear response from Congress… who are these forces receiving financial support to meddle in and create disturbances in India's election system?” Trivedi stated. He went on to claim that an organization named ‘The International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) had signed an agreement in 2011 with the India International Institute of Election Management—an entity linked to the Election Commission.
He further alleged that financial backing for this initiative came from a group called the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening, which is connected to George Soros’ Open Society Foundation. According to Trivedi, this foundation funneled half a billion dollars into India through USAID and other channels, leading to an annual inflow of $3.5 lakh since then.
The BJP had earlier highlighted an MoU between IFES and the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that then-Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi played a role in the foreign funding controversy.
“The views of George Soros and Uncle Sam (a reference to Sam Pitroda) align completely. When you hear Pitroda speak, it’s as if he wrote the lyrics while Soros and Congress composed the music, and the INDI alliance is playing the tune,” the BJP leader remarked.
Officials from DOGE confirmed that the U.S. had decided to discontinue a $21 million program meant to enhance voter turnout in India, alongside a $29 million initiative designed to reform Bangladesh’s political framework.
