USAID is the biggest scam in history”: PM’s adviser responds to DOGE’s claim on India ‘voter funds’

DOGE scrutiny on USAID sparks political debate in India

The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, has claimed that it canceled US funds allocated for influencing voter turnout in India, drawing strong reactions from Indian officials and political leaders. Sanjeev Sanyal, an adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, called the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) the “biggest scam in human history“, questioning where the funds had been directed.

The DOGE, tasked with identifying irregularities in US federal funding under the Biden administration, recently announced that it had revoked financial allocations for multiple international projects. Among these were $21 million for “voter turnout in India,” $29 million for “strengthening the political landscape” in Bangladesh, and $20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal.

USAID under scrutiny amid federal spending cuts

As the largest humanitarian aid arm of the US government, USAID has become a primary target of DOGE’s efforts to curtail federal expenditures. The recent allegations have intensified concerns about external influence in India’s electoral process, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raising alarms over foreign intervention in domestic politics.

Indian officials demand accountability

The DOGE’s statement prompted Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to PM Modi, to question the distribution of the canceled funds.

“I would love to find out who received the $21 million meant to improve voter turnout in India and the $29 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh, not to mention the $20 million spent on fiscal federalism in Nepal,” Sanyal said.

His remarks follow a strong denial from former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi, who dismissed the claim as “baseless“.

“The report in a section of the media about an MoU by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2012, when I was CEC, for funding certain million dollars by a US agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact,” Quraishi clarified.

He further explained that there was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in 2012 for training purposes, similar to arrangements with other organizations, but it did not involve financial transactions or funding promises.

BJP alleges systematic foreign infiltration

The BJP has sought clarity on the use of the funds flagged by DOGE, with its national spokesperson Amit Malviya alleging a systematic infiltration of Indian institutions by foreign forces.

Malviya also took aim at billionaire investor George Soros, linking him to alleged global influence networks seeking to interfere in India’s democracy.

“It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests—those who seek to weaken India at every opportunity,” Malviya asserted.

The controversy surrounding the alleged US funding for voter turnout efforts in India has raised questions about foreign influence, sparking debates on national sovereignty, transparency, and electoral integrity. The Supreme Court and other relevant authorities may be called upon to investigate the matter further in the coming days.

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