A political slugfest has broken out in India after US President Donald Trump claimed that his nation had spent $21 million to increase voter turnout in the country’s elections.
Days after a group headed by Elon Musk announced that it had revoked the payout as part of its crackdown on a US foreign aid agency, he made the statement.
The payout was referred to as “external interference” by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also charged that the opposition Congress party had requested the intervention.
The Congress referred to Trump’s assertions as “nonsensical” and rejected the accusation. The United States has not offered any proof to back up its assertion.
India’s foreign ministry described the allegations as “deeply troubling” on Friday.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, stated that the competent authorities were looking into the incident and that it was “premature” to make public pronouncements about it at this time.
Trump promised to strengthen the US economy, and shortly after taking office, he established the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which is headed by Musk, with the goal of cutting federal jobs and spending. Doge’s goal, according to Musk, is to reduce the national debt and save taxpayer money.
A crackdown on USAID, the US organisation in charge of managing humanitarian aid since the 1960s, is one of its most significant actions, currently garnering international attention. Musk declared on Sunday that financing for a number of projects had been cancelled. Musk has referred to USAID as a “criminal organisation.”
