New York: The United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday cancelled $21 million allocated for boosting ‘voter turnout in India’ during President Joe Biden’s tenure.
Outlining a list in a post on platform X , DOGE stated that ‘US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled.’
As the reports emerged about Musk-led department’s move, BJP alleged ‘external interference in India's electoral process’.
The $21 million allotted to influence ‘voter turnout’ in India, according to DOGE, was part of a larger $486 million budget that the Biden regime allotted to the ‘Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.’
The list includes an allotment of $29 million meant for ‘strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh’.
Bangladesh has been in a political turmoil since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid allegations of US ‘deep state’ involvement in the situation.
Other taxpayer-funded projects that Musk’s department axed include: $47 million for ‘improving learning outcomes in Asia’,’ $40 million for a ‘gender equality and women empowerment hub’, ‘$32 million to the Prague Civil Society Centre’, ‘$22 million to foster an "inclusive and participatory political process" in Moldova’,‘$2.5 million for "inclusive democracies in Southern Africa’, $1.5 million for "voter confidence" in Liberia, among others.
Musk's department stated that the move was part of efforts to improve the government’s efficiency alongside ensuring that the money was not spent on ‘questionable’ political activities abroad.
The BJP responded to the US department’s decision terming the funding ‘external interference’ in India’s elections with the saffron party’s national spokesperson Amit Malviya stating: ‘$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!’
Malviya further claimed that ‘Once again, it is George Soros, a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, whose shadow looms over our electoral process.’