Musk’s ‘Doge’ Post Sparks Political Uproar Over USAid Funds in India
An unfounded claim about U.S. government funding for India’s elections has ignited a political storm, with former President Donald Trump and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seizing upon the allegation.
The controversy began when Doge, a special group created by Trump and hosted on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, asserted that USAid—the U.S. Agency for International Development—had allocated $21 million to boost voter turnout in India. The claim also suggested that President Biden had canceled the funds as part of broader foreign aid cuts. However, an investigation by the Indian Express found no evidence of such funding, and USAid officials denied the existence of any such program. Instead, documents revealed that the $21 million was actually allocated to a non-profit organization promoting political engagement in Bangladesh amid a crackdown on opposition forces.
Despite the lack of factual basis, Trump leveraged the claim to criticize USAid and justify plans to curtail its operations. At an event in Miami, he questioned why U.S. taxpayers should spend $21 million on voter turnout in India, insinuating that the funds were intended to sway the election in favor of a particular candidate. He repeated the claim at subsequent events, at one point alleging that the money was a “kickback scheme” benefiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the course of several speeches, the figure fluctuated, with Trump citing amounts ranging from $18 million to $21 million.
The accusations sent shockwaves through Indian politics. The BJP, which has long accused international organizations of meddling in India’s affairs, seized on Trump’s statements as validation of their suspicions. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, suggested the claims confirmed foreign attempts to influence India’s elections. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed shock, while Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Modi’s economic advisory council, called USAid the “biggest scam in human history.” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar labeled the allegations “concerning,” and government spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described them as “deeply troubling.”
Within India’s civil society, many feared the accusations would be used as justification for further crackdowns on NGOs and international funding. The BJP government has previously pressured human rights groups and civil society organizations, leading to the shutdown of prominent entities such as Amnesty International and Greenpeace in India.
In response, the opposition Congress party accused the BJP of amplifying baseless foreign claims to serve its political interests. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh criticized the ruling party for promoting “fake news from America” while remaining silent on Trump and Musk’s remarks about India. “Elon Musk made a fake claim, Trump confused Dhaka with Delhi, and the BJP spread falsehoods about India’s democracy,” Ramesh said.
The controversy underscores the growing influence of misinformation in international politics and its potential ramifications on diplomatic relations and domestic affairs.
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