What happened to USAID funds? Congress questions PM Modi on Trump’s claim that US gave BJP govt $21 million

New Delhi: The Congress took a dig at the ruling BJP government by stating that PM Modi should reply to US president Donald Trump’s claim that $21 million was given to PM Narendra Modi under USAID funds.

The party asked the prime minister to call ‘his friend’ and ask him to refute the allegations, otherwise it would be deemed to be true.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC office here on Sunday, party spokesperson and chairman of the Media and Publicity Department, Pawan Khera took a dig at the ‘stony silence’ of the BJP after Trump said that $21 million was given to his ‘friend Modi’.

He said, “PM Modi must talk to his friend, US President Trump and strongly refute the allegation on him that America gave $21 million to him and India to increase voter turnout.”

‘USAID gave $2.9 billion to India in almost two decades’

Khera, quoting a leading news organisation, disclosed that between 2001 and 2024, USAID has disbursed a total of $2.9 billion to India.

“That’s an average of $119 million annually,” he said, while adding, that $1.3 billion or 44.4 per cent of this money was granted during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance regime (2014-2024). During the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime (2004-2013), India received $1.2 billion in grants or 41.3 per cent.

He said, about a quarter of that money has been received in the last four years. He said USAID disbursed $650 million to India or 23 per cent between 2021 to 2024.

What happened to $650 million between FY21 and FY24, asks Khera

“Why and for what purposes did the PM Modi government receive $650 million between FY21 and FY24?” he asked.

The Congress spokesperson made specific mention of the first batch of funds worth $365,000 for the purpose of ‘Democratic Participation and Civil Society’, which came in the US Financial Year 2013, which started from October 1, 2012. He pointed out, that during 2012, the Anna Hazare movement was at its peak, Arvind Kejriwal was making his own party, and CM Narendra Modi was gearing up to be BJP’s PM candidate while conspiring against LK Advani.

“So, who benefitted from these funds? Who got 282 seats in Lok Sabha?” he asked. He said, the remaining amount started pouring in between US FY2020 and US FY2024.

Congress links Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to USAID

The senior Congress leader disclosed that even PM Modi’s much-hyped Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has a USAID stamp.

“If the Modi Govt considers USAID such a pariah, then why did it partner with them for Swachh Bharat Mission, where it worked with the union government in 73 cities?” he pointed out while asking, “Why did the Modi govt request the US administration ‘multiple times’ to get Covid-19 aid worth more than $100 million in 2021?”

Khera reiterated Congress's demand for a ‘comprehensive White Paper on the funds that political parties, individuals, NGOs, organisations received from developmental agencies, aid mechanisms and multilateral forums.’ He demanded that the White Paper should not only focus on USAID funding but all such agencies which fund governments, individuals and all other entities under Indian law.