Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he arrives for a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2025.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: Citing US President Donald Trump's remarks that “$21 million was going to my friend Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in India for voter turnout”, Congress on Saturday doubled down the attack on the ruling BJP over the USAID controversy, asking why the saffron camp has gone silent and not refuting the claims.
In indications that it would not go soft on its I.N.D.I.A. ally AAP against whom it vigorously contested the recent Delhi Assembly elections, the Congress brought Arvind Kejriwal in the line of fire asking whether the $3.65 lakh funding in 2012 had something to do with his party's formation.
Further, Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera asked whether part of $3.65 lakh USAID funding for 'Democratic Participation and Civil Society' programmes also went to Modi's campaign to become BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate by "conspiring" against veteran L K Advani.
Soon after Trump's remarks became public and Washington Post reported that there is no record of plans to send $21 million to India, Khera said, “Modi government, its Economic Advisor, BJP’s IT Cell head, its ecosystem and media groups which are cheerleaders for the BJP are desperately tying themselves in knots to somehow prove their allegation of 'deep state' and ‘foreign intervention’ now."
“The Prime Minister should immediately telephone his friend and ask him why he has done so. If he does not confront, then it is clear that what Trump said is correct…Why is there so much silence? Who is lying?....We want a White Paper on how much money parties, persons and political organisations masquerading as cultural outfits got,” he said.
The White Paper should not only focus on USAID funding, but all such agencies which fund governments, individuals and all other entities under Indian law, he said.
Citing a media report, Khera said the USAID disbursed $2.9 billion between 2001 and 2024 and of this, $1.3 billion were disbursed during the Modi government and $1.2 billion during UPA rule.
"USAID disbursed $650 million to India US FY 2021 and US FY 2024. Why and for what purposes did Modi Govt receive $650 million? It is also important to note that the first batch of funds of $3.65 lakh for 'Democratic Participation and Civil Society' came in US FY 2013, which starts from October 1, 2012," he said.
"During 2012, the Anna Hazare movement was at its peak, Arvind Kejriwal was forming his own party, (Gujarat Chief Minister) Narendra Modi was gearing to be BJP’s PM candidate. So, who benefitted from these funds? The BJP got 282 seats in Lok Sabha? The remaining amount started pouring in between US FY2020 and US FY2024," he claimed.
He claimed that the RSS-BJP and their ecosystem actors were making "wild allegations" to bolster their "fake narrative" against credible civil society members, NGOs and parties and they must not only be named and shamed on public forums, but legal action must also be taken against them for spreading lies and misleading the nation.