BJP Adviser Slams USAID, Calls it “Biggest Scam in Human History”

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th Feb. A claim made by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has sparked a political storm in India. The DOGE stated that it had canceled US funds allocated for projects in several countries, including $21 million meant to influence “voter turnout in India.” The statement drew a strong reaction from Sanjeev Sanyal, an adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the USAID as the “biggest scam in human history.”

The DOGE, responsible for identifying irregularities in US funding during the Biden administration, confirmed the cancellation of the funds, which also included $29 million for “strengthening the political landscape” in Bangladesh and $20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal. USAID, the largest US humanitarian agency, has been under scrutiny following the DOGE’s investigation, which is part of a broader Trump administration initiative to reduce federal spending.

The claim regarding the funds for India’s voter turnout has caught the attention of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who raised concerns over “external interference” in the country’s electoral process. Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council, asked who in India received the $21 million. He criticized the USAID, expressing curiosity about where the funds were directed.

Sanyal’s remarks followed a rebuttal from former Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, who served from 2010-2012. Quraishi denied any involvement in receiving US funds for voter turnout initiatives, clarifying that an MOU signed in 2012 with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) was solely for training purposes and did not involve financial transactions.

In response, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya accused foreign forces of infiltrating India’s institutions, asserting that the Congress-led UPA government enabled these efforts. Malviya also targeted billionaire George Soros, claiming that his network had a significant influence on India’s electoral processes.