BJP Responds After DOGE Says $21 Million For Voter Turnout In India: 10 Points
The United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has scrapped a $21 million grant allocated to boost voter turnout in India, terming it part of questionable overseas political funding. The money was part of a $486 million budget under the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.” BJP leaders have strongly criticised the funding as “external interference.” This revelation comes amid broader US budget cuts, including $29 million for Bangladesh’s political landscape. BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Rajeev Chandrasekhar have accused the Opposition of enabling foreign influence over Indian democracy.
US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled:
– $10M for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision"
– $9.7M for UC Berkeley to develop "a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills"
– $2.3M for "strengthening…— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 15, 2025
Here are 10 important points on the controversy:
1. DOGE’s post on X detailed $486 million in cancelled grants, including $21 million meant for voter turnout in India. The post did not specify the Indian agency or entity that was to receive the funding.
2. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya alleged external interference in India’s elections, questioning who benefits from such funding, while ruling out any advantage for the current government.
Once again, it is George Soros, a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, whose shadow looms over our electoral process.
In 2012, under the leadership of S.Y. Quraishi, the Election Commission signed an MoU with The International Foundation for Electoral… https://t.co/PO13Iyroee pic.twitter.com/gdgAQoDbPh
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 16, 2025
3. Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar termed the funding a “smoking gun” of interference, arguing that external forces were backing various protests in India and called for an investigation.
4. The BJP has repeatedly accused George Soros and his Open Society Foundation of influencing India’s political landscape, citing past MoUs between the Election Commission of India and foreign agencies.
5. Malviya pointed to a 2012 MoU between the Election Commission and The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), alleging foreign involvement in India’s electoral framework under the Congress-led UPA government.
6. Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi refuted Malviya’s claims, stating that the MoU was purely for training purposes and did not involve any financial obligations or external funding.
“The report in a section of Media about an MoU by ECI in 2012 when I was CEC , for funding of certain million dollars by a US
agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact . 1/2— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) February 16, 2025
7. The US cuts come amid wider political developments in South Asia, with $29 million originally planned for Bangladesh’s political landscape, sparking concerns over alleged US influence in regime changes.
Yes , there was a MOU with IFES in 2012 when I was CEC like we had with many other agencies and Election Management Bodies to facilitate training for desirous countries at ECI ‘s training and resource centre, IIIDEM , which was very new at that stage . 2/4
— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) February 16, 2025
8. President Donald Trump recently denied allegations of US involvement in Bangladesh’s political shifts, dismissing claims of deep state orchestration in Sheikh Hasina’s removal from power.
There was no financing or even promise of finance involved in MoU, forget X or Y amount. The MoU in fact made it clear in black and white that there would be no financial and legal obligation of any kind on either side side.
3/4— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) February 16, 2025
9. The Election Commission of India has not yet responded to the controversy, but opposition leaders have dismissed BJP’s claims as an attempt to divert attention from domestic electoral concerns.
4/4
This stipulation was made at two different places to leave no scope for any ambiguity. Any mention of any funds in connection with this MoU is completely false and malicious. “
S Y Quraishi
Former Chief Election Commissioner of India— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) February 16, 2025
10. With the controversy intensifying, BJP leaders continue to push for greater scrutiny of foreign funding in Indian electoral processes, reinforcing their stance against international interference in domestic politics.
