‘Deeply troubling’: India on USAID funding report

India on Friday said the revelations about USAID funding for certain activities in the country are ldquodeeply troublingrdquo and have led to concerns about foreign interference in its internal affairsMinistry of External Affairs MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said relevant departments and authorities are looking into the information put out by the United States administration regarding certain US activities and fundingldquoWe have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding These are obviously very deeply troublingrdquo Jaiswal saidldquoThis has led to concerns about foreign interference in Indiarsquos internal affairs Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matterrdquo he saidThe Department of Government Efficiency DOGE led by Elon Musk had earlier claimed that USAID contributed 21 million to the Election Commission to boost voter turnout in IndiaBJP diverting attentionA row erupted on Friday after a media report claimed that the 21 million approved by the USAID was meant for Bangladesh and not India with the Congress demanding an apology from the BJP alleging that the ruling partyrsquos narrative was aimed at diverting attention from its own use of foreign funds to destabilise past governments led by the grand old partyCiting the media report Congress general secretary incharge communications Jairam Ramesh said ldquoLies first mouthed in Washington Lies then amplified by BJPrsquos Jhoot Sena Lies made to be debated on Godi mediardquoRahul a traitor BJPThe BJP on Friday sharpened its attack on the Congress on the USAID funding issue and called Rahul Gandhi a ldquotraitorrdquo accusing him of colluding with foreign forces in his bid to weaken India as it dismissed as ldquocover uprdquo media reports that claimed 21 million was sanctioned in 2022 for Bangladesh not IndiaAddressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed the USAID funding came to India to meddle with internal politics and disrupt electoral politics in IndiaA larger share of the USAID fund came into India during the UPA regime because the Congress can broker the countryrsquos sovereignty and its interests Bhatia allegedHe dismissed as ldquocover uprdquo media reports which claimed that the USAID fund was sanctioned for ldquovoter turnoutrdquo in Bangladesh not in India21mnFund allegedly given through USAIDA kickback scheme says Donald TrumpUS President Donald Trump has claimed that the 21 million funding to India for lsquovoter turnoutrsquo was a ldquokickbackrdquo scheme ldquoWhy are we caring about Indiarsquos turnout We have got enough problems We want our own turnoutrdquo said Trump ldquoI would say in many cases many of these cases anytime you have no idea what were talking about that means theres a kickback because nobody has any idea whats going on thererdquo he said