New Delhi: The claim by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by the world’s richest man Elon Musk, that it has canceled US funds intended to influence “voter turnout in India” has caught the attention of a Prime Minister’s adviser, who has labeled the USAID agency as the “biggest scam in human history.”
DOGE, responsible for investigating irregularities in US funding for humanitarian efforts under the Biden administration, announced the cancellation of funds for various international projects. These included $21 million intended for “voter turnout in India,” $29 million for “strengthening the political landscape” in Bangladesh, and $20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal.
USAID, the largest humanitarian arm of the US government, has been a primary target of DOGE, which is continuing the Trump administration’s crackdown on federal spending.
The DOGE’s claim about funds for India’s “voter turnout” has sparked concerns within the ruling BJP about “external interference” in the country’s electoral process, while a former chief election commissioner dismissed the claim as “baseless.” The latest comment came from Sanjeev Sanyal, an adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and member of the Economic Advisory Council. On Sunday, he questioned who in India had received the $21 million allocated for the project.
Referring to USAID as the “biggest scam in human history,” Mr. Sanyal expressed a strong desire to uncover who received the $21 million allocated to improve “voter turnout in India,” the $29 million for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh,” and the $29 million spent to enhance “fiscal federalism” in Nepal.
His comments came after a firm denial from SY Quraishi, who served as the Chief Election Commissioner of India from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Quraishi stated, “The media report about an MoU signed by the Election Commission of India in 2012, when I was CEC, for funding from a US agency to raise voter turnout in India is completely unfounded.”
He clarified that while there was an MoU with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in 2012 for training purposes—similar to agreements with other agencies—there was no involvement of financial support or any promise of funds.
Yesterday, the BJP demanded to know who benefited from the funds flagged by DOGE, with national spokesperson Amit Malviya accusing foreign forces of carrying out a “systematic infiltration” of Indian institutions. He also criticized billionaire investor George Soros and his alleged global network of influence, claiming that his shadow hangs over India’s electoral process.
Malviya further stated, “It is becoming increasingly clear that the Congress-led UPA deliberately facilitated the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces hostile to the nation—those who aim to undermine India at every opportunity.”
