Trump terms $21 million USAID funds to India a ‘kickback scheme’, BJP demands probe
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) Continuing his tirade at the previous Biden administration over routing USAID funds for influencing elections and governance in foreign countries, US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his charge of $21 million money being pumped into India for ‘voter turnout’ with an intent to achieve alternate election results in 2024.
The US President, rather upped the ante and dubbed it a ‘kickback scheme’, though he refrained from elaborating on who benefitted from it.
The BJP was quick to latch on to Trump’s explosive charge of ‘kickbacks’ under the guise of USAID funds and said this money was used to sustain deep-state assets.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also shared Trump’s video address, where the latter could be reiterating his charge on allocation of $21 million for ‘voter turnout in India’ and $29 million for upholding the political landscape in Bangladesh.
“$ 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We have got enough problems. We want our own turnout, don’t we? Can you imagine all that money going to India? Trump said, addressing the Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting.
Calling it a kickback scheme, he said, “You know, it’s not like they get it and they spend it, they kick it back to the people. I would say in many of these cases, anytime you have no idea what we’re talking about, that means there’s a kickback because nobody has any idea what’s going on there.”
Amit Malviya said the US President was being direct and incisive in his charge and was not mincing words. He also claimed that the same pattern was unfolding in the country and demanded a probe into the ‘deep state’ angle.
“A day after US President Donald Trump spoke about $21 million being sent to India for voter turnout, he has reiterated the charge. And no, he is not confusing it with the $29 million funneled into Bangladesh. This time, he has also mentioned kickbacks. Essentially, this money is also used to sustain deep-state assets who work to defend and deflect such revelations. We are now witnessing the same pattern unfold in India,” he pointed out.
“Donald Trump for the second time has said that — “21 Million Dollar has gone to voter turnout in India”. Calls it a “Kick Back Scheme”. An investigation is must to find out if Rahul Gandhi & Congress ecosystem was beneficiary of this kickback scheme!”, said BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on X.
Speaking on USAID fund allocation for Bangladesh, Trump stated, “$ 29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Nobody knows what they mean by political landscape. What does that mean?”
–IANS
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