The BJP and Congress on Thursday sparred over alleged funding by USAID for raising voter turnout in India with the former saying it was “reaffirmation” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that foreign powers were trying to stop him from coming to power. Congress, meanwhile, demanded a white paper on the issue.

The ruling party said US President Donald Trump’s latest remarks on the USAID funding to India was a “reaffirmation” of Prime Minister Modi’s assertion during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls campaign that foreign powers were trying to stop him from coming to power.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has aligned himself with global networks seeking to undermine India’s strategic and geopolitical interests while “acting as a tool for foreign agencies”, alleged BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya, targeting the grand old party following the US president’s remarks.

On Thursday, Trump once again questioned the USAID funding of USD 21 million for “voter turnout” in India and said “I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected”.

In a series of posts on social media, Malviya said PM Modi had warned of foreign influence on multiple occasions during the 2024 election campaign.

He also posted a video in which Trump was heard making such remarks.

“Now, former (sic) US President Donald Trump has confirmed that there was indeed an attempt to influence the Indian election and install someone other than Prime Minister Modi,” he said.

US President Trump’s claim that money was being pumped into India to influence election results in the country is a “reaffirmation” of Prime Minister Modi’s assertion during the 2024 campaign that foreign powers were trying to stop him from coming to power, the BJP leader added.

Targeting the Congress, Malviya alleged that ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi was in London in March 2023, “urging foreign powers”, from the US to Europe, to intervene in India’s internal affairs.

“He has aligned himself with global networks seeking to undermine India’s strategic and geopolitical interests acting as a tool for foreign agencies,” the BJP leader charged.

Amid the row over alleged funding by USAID for raising voter turnout in India, the Congress demanded that the Indian government should bring out a white paper on the US agency’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades. The Congress also dubbed US President Donald Trump’s claims related to USAID as “nonsensical”.

The opposition party’s assertion comes after President Donald Trump questioned the purpose of providing USD 21 million to India for “voter turnout”. “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected...,” Trump has said.

In a social media post, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “USAID is very much in the news these days. It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US President are typically nonsensical to say the least.”

“Even so, the Government of India should bring out a White Paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades,” the Congress leader said.

On February 16, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire SpaceX CEO Musk, listed items on which the “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent” and the list included “USD 21M for voter turnout in India”.

DOGE noted that all of the items have been cancelled.

The list also included USD 29 million to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”, USD 20 million for “fiscal federalism” and USD 19 million for “biodiversity conversation” in Nepal as well as USD 47 million for “improving learning outcomes in Asia”.

While signing executive orders on Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago, Trump had said,”...And USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we giving USD 21 million to India? They got a lot of money there. One of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us. We can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high.”