New Delhi: The Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading “fake news” regarding a USAID grant and termed it “anti-national work.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar remained silent over alleged insults to India by former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Dismissing BJP’s allegations, Ramesh called the ruling party a “procession of liars and illiterates.” He stated that the widely discussed $21 million USAID grant was not meant for voter turnout in India but for Bangladesh.
In a post on X, Ramesh explained that the controversy began when a report from DOGE (Department of Global Engagement under Trump’s administration) on February 16 suggested that USAID had canceled a $21 million grant for “voting in India.” BJP leaders used this claim to accuse the Congress of foreign interference. However, Ramesh argued that the claim was entirely false.
He pointed out that the funds were directed through the Washington-based Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) and were never meant for India. He added that, according to official records, USAID had not funded any CEPPS project in India since 2008.
“The $21 million grant listed by DOGE was actually allocated to Bangladesh, not India. In fact, $13.4 million had already been disbursed before Bangladesh’s January 2024 elections under the ‘Amar Vote Amar’ (My Vote Is Mine) campaign,” he said.
Ramesh further questioned why the Modi government was ignoring remarks made by Trump and Musk, which he claimed were disrespectful to India.
“Why did the BJP spread falsehoods about India’s democracy? If accusing the opposition over fake news from America is not treason, then what is it?” he asked.
He also suggested that the government’s silence could be linked to corporate interests, hinting at billionaire Gautam Adani’s business dealings in the US.
While Congress has called for accountability, the BJP has hit back, labeling Rahul Gandhi a “traitor” and accusing him of colluding with foreign forces to weaken India.
The controversy has added to the growing political tensions between the two parties ahead of the upcoming elections.
