The Indian National Congress has strongly criticized the BJP-led government, accusing it of hypocrisy and diversionary tactics regarding foreign funding, particularly from organizations like USAID. Congress has demanded a white paper to investigate how USAID funds have been used in India, arguing that while the BJP frequently accuses the opposition of taking foreign money to destabilize the government, it has itself benefited from foreign funds to undermine Indian democracy. The controversy began when BJP leaders alleged that Congress received $21 million from USAID to create unrest against the Modi government. However, an investigation by The Indian Express revealed that this money was allocated to Bangladesh, not India, exposing the BJP’s claims as false. Congress has seized this revelation to argue that the BJP is trying to distract the public from its wrongdoings, asserting that the BJP-RSS has a history of using foreign funds to weaken Congress governments, including during the UPA era. The party also referenced past allegations of RSS leaders working with foreign agencies, such as the CIA, to destabilize Indian democracy.
Recalling history, Congress cited former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s warnings about foreign interference, referring to PN Dhar’s book, Indira Gandhi, the "Emergency", and Indian Democracy, which details how the US-backed opposition leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) during the Emergency due to Indira Gandhi’s defiance of American interests, including the 1971 war and India’s first nuclear test. Congress further alleged that RSS and Jan Sangh leaders, including Dattopant Thengadi and Subramaniam Swamy, were part of US-backed movements. The party also raised the 1966 anti-cow slaughter rally, claiming that the CIA funded the RSS-led protest and that an assassination attempt on then-Congress President K. Kamaraj was linked to the RSS. These instances, Congress argued, illustrate the BJP-RSS’s long history of working with foreign entities to weaken Indian democracy.
To press its case, Congress posed ten tough questions to the BJP regarding its ties to foreign funding. These include whether the CIA funded the RSS’s 1966 anti-cow slaughter rally, whether the Anna Hazare-Arvind Kejriwal movement received foreign aid, why Smriti Irani participated in a USAID event, and why the Modi government signed agreements with USAID, including for Indian Railways’ net-zero emissions goal. Congress also questioned PM Modi’s meetings with USAID officials, USAID’s role in India’s cashless economy push before demonetization, and its collaboration with the Modi government on initiatives like Swachh Bharat and COVID-19 aid. Additionally, it highlighted state-level BJP and AAP collaborations with USAID and raised concerns about Modi’s 1993 visit to the US as an RSS worker, where he reportedly engaged with USAID-funded organizations.
Congress clarified that it does not oppose global partnerships or organizations like USAID but accused the BJP of double standards—criticizing USAID while secretly benefiting from its funds. The party’s demand for a white paper aims to expose how the BJP-RSS has used foreign aid to undermine Indian democracy and the Constitution. “The truth will come out,” Congress asserted, insisting that the BJP’s misinformation tactics will not succeed. They called on the Modi government to be transparent about its dealings with USAID and other foreign agencies.
This controversy has reignited the debate on foreign funding in Indian politics. By demanding a white paper, Congress is challenging the BJP to clarify its past and present connections with foreign agencies. As the political battle intensifies, the key question is whether the BJP will respond to these allegations or continue to avoid them. Congress’s call for transparency is a bold move to hold the ruling party accountable for its actions. (PR)