BJP vs Congress Clash Over USAID Funds: India or Bangladesh Targeted in $21M Report?
It’s a political showdown in India! The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are trading barbs over a new report about $21 million in USAID funds. At first, everyone thought this money was meant to boost “voter turnout” in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But now, an investigation says it was actually for Bangladesh—not India. This twist has sparked a heated debate, and both sides are digging in. Let’s unpack what’s going on in a way that’s easy to follow.
The drama kicked off when U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that the $21 million from USAID—canceled by his administration—might have meddled in India’s 2024 elections. The BJP jumped on this, accusing the Congress of using foreign cash to sway the polls. They’ve been relentless, claiming it’s proof of outside interference. But then came a bombshell from The Indian Express: the money wasn’t for India at all. It was for a Bangladesh project called “Amar Vote Amar” (My Vote is Mine), approved back in 2022. Suddenly, the story flipped.
According to The Indian Express, no USAID funds have gone to election projects in India since 2008. The $21 million? That was for Bangladesh, aimed at getting more people to vote there. Of that amount, $13.4 million has already been spent, mostly on student programs before Bangladesh’s January 2024 election. The BJP called this report “fake,” sticking to their guns that something shady happened in India. Meanwhile, Congress says the BJP got it all wrong and rushed to blame them without checking the facts.
ALSO READ | PM Modi At SOUL Conclave 2025: “Good Leaders Are Key to India’s Future”
Congress leader Pawan Khera didn’t hold back. He took to X, calling the BJP “anti-national” for pointing fingers so fast. “The BJP’s been in opposition longer than us,” he tweeted. “They’ve taken help from outside forces to mess with Congress governments before. Who’s really at fault here?” Khera’s argument is that the BJP’s quick accusations look suspicious, especially since they’ve been in power at the center since 2014—not the opposition. It’s a classic “look in the mirror” jab that’s got people talking.
The BJP isn’t backing off. They’ve dismissed the Express report and keep pushing Trump’s claims. Leaders like Amit Malviya have suggested the funds—wherever they went—prove a “foreign hand” in Indian politics. They’ve even dragged in old ties, like a 2012 deal between India’s Election Commission and a U.S.-linked group, to hint at Congress meddling. For them, this is about national pride and protecting elections from outside influence. They’re not buying the Bangladesh angle just yet.
This back-and-forth isn’t just noise—it’s a big deal. If the report’s right, and the $21 million was for Bangladesh, it clears up Trump’s mix-up (maybe he confused Dhaka with Delhi?). As of February 21, 2025, the spat’s still hot. The Congress wants a “white paper” to dig into USAID’s past funding in India, while the BJP demands a probe into who got what.
