NEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday intensified its counter-attack over the USAID funding controversy, demanding that PM Modi speak to “his friend”, Donald Trump, and strongly refute the “allegation” made against him of receiving $21 million to “influence elections in India”, or else the US President’s statement will be deemed true.
The Congress attack came in response to remarks made by Trump on Friday in his address at the Governors working session, where he said, ” …and $21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. We’re giving 21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too.”
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, at a press conference on Saturday, told reporters, “You (PM Modi) owe a response to the country. Did you or did you not take 21 million dollars from US to influence the elections in India?”
The party also reiterated its demand for a “white paper on the funds that political parties, individuals, NGOs, organisations received from developmental agencies, aid mechanisms and multilateral forums”. Khera demanded that the white paper should not only focus on USAID funding, but all such agencies which fund both govts, individuals and all other entities under Indian law.
Citing a Washington Post report debunking claims of US funding for India’s elections, Khera alleged that the RSS-BJP ecosystem had been making wild alllegations against “civil society”. The Congress spokesperson spoke of funds worth $365,000 for the purpose of ‘Democratic Participation and Civil Society’, which came in the US Financial Year 2013 (starting from Oct 1, 2012). He pointed out, during 2012, the Anna Hazare movement was at its peak, Arvind Kejriwal was making his own party, CM Narendra Modi was gearing to be BJP’s PM candidate. “So, who benefitted from these funds? Who got 282 seats in Lok Sabha?” he asked.
Khera alleged that the “RSS-BJP and its ilk are habitual offenders in crafting fake narratives and propagating lies and seeking external assistance to destabilise the Indian state”. The party has also demanded that legal action action must be taken against those from the RSS-BJP and their ecosystem actors for “spreading lies and misleading the nation”.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal in a post on X said, “Will PM Modi pay heed to his best friend Donald Trump’s message on ballot papers and same day voting, and address the concerns of the whole nation about the integrity of our electoral process?”
He cited Trump’s remarks at a governors’ meeting where he was heard urging governors to switch to paper ballots and same-day voting, claiming that machines are expensive.
