‘Anti-national work’: Congress questions BJP over ‘fake news’ on USAID funding

Jairam Ramesh called the BJP “liars and illiterates,” saying the USD 21 million was for Bangladesh, not India's voter turnout.

Updated on: Feb 23, 2025, 23:05:06 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid the USAID funding row, Congress accused the BJP of “anti-national work” by spreading “fake news from America” and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar remain silent on alleged insults to India by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session, in New Delhi. (Sansad TV)

However, the BJP dismissed Congress' allegations and called Rahul Gandhi a “traitor,” accusing him of working with foreign forces to weaken India.

Congress general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, “BJP is a procession of liars and illiterates. The news about USD 21 million, on which the BJP and their bootlickers were jumping on, turned out to be fake. The USD 21 million in 2022 was not for 'voter turnout' in India, but for Bangladesh.”

The Congress leader said in a Hindi post on X that ever since the Trump administration's DOGE said on February 16 that USAID had canceled the USD 21 million funding for “voting in India,” the BJP has been making fabricated allegations against the party.

“But now it is coming to light that this entire news is fake. When the money has not even reached India, then what would be the cancellation?” he said.

The Congress leader said the controversy revolves around two USAID grants listed by DOGE, which were routed through the Washington-based Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS).

He added that CEPPS was set to receive a total of USD 486 million from USAID, with DOGE mentioning that the funds included “USD 22 million for Moldova and USD 21 million for voter turnout in India.”

“The first fund USAID gave to CEPPS for Moldova was in 2016 with the ID AID117LA1600001. But the USAID USD 21 million grant for India marked by DOGE is completely fake. Because it was for Bangladesh, not India,” he claimed.

Ramesh said that in reality, the USD 21 million was meant for Bangladesh, with USD 13.4 million already disbursed before the January 2024 elections.

“Every federal grant specifies the country in which it is to be used. According to US federal spending, there have been no USAID-funded CEPPS projects in India since 2008. The only ongoing USD 21 million USAID grant to CEPPS, ID 72038822LA00001, was approved in July 2022 for Bangladesh's 'Amar Vote Amar' (My Vote Is Mine),” he pointed out.

“In November 2022, the purpose of the grant was changed to 'USAID's Nagorik Programme'. A USAID official in Dhaka also confirmed this on social media during his US visit in December 2024: 'I manage the USD 21 million CEPPS/Nagorik project funded by USAID',” Ramesh said.

“Now the BJP should just answer this: Why did the BJP spread fake news about India's democracy? Why did the BJP did anti-national work by spreading fake news from America? If BJP's accusing India's opposition party over fake news from America is not treason, then what is it?” he said.

Ramesh said “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also have to answer, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are insulting India again and again, and why is our government silent on this?”

The Congress leader said, “Is it the case that the country's self-respect has been compromised in the process of begging for mercy for Adani?”

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