Mon Feb 17 05:44:37 UTC 2025: ## Musk’s DOGE Agency Claims Cancelled US Funding for Indian Voter Turnout; Indian Officials React Strongly
**NEW DELHI** – A claim by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that it cancelled $21 million in US funds intended to influence Indian voter turnout has sparked outrage and accusations of foreign interference in India’s electoral process.
The DOGE, tasked with uncovering irregularities in US humanitarian funding under the Biden administration, announced the cancellation of funds earmarked for various projects, including the aforementioned sum for India, $29 million for Bangladesh’s political landscape, and $20 million for Nepal’s fiscal federalism. These funds were allegedly channeled through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which the DOGE has identified as a primary target in its efforts to cut federal spending.
Sanjeev Sanyal, an advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, vehemently condemned the alleged funding, calling USAID “the biggest scam in human history” and demanding an investigation into who received the money in India. His statement follows a similar rejection from former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, who stated that the DOGE’s claim lacked any factual basis. Quraishi confirmed a 2012 MOU with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) for training, but denied any financial involvement.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echoed these concerns, with national spokesperson Amit Malviya alleging systematic infiltration of Indian institutions by foreign forces and implicitly linking the incident to billionaire George Soros. Malviya accused the previous Congress-led government of facilitating this alleged interference.
The DOGE’s claims remain highly contested, with prominent Indian figures dismissing them as unfounded. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over foreign influence in India’s political landscape and fuels existing debates about the role and activities of USAID in the country.
First Piper 