Govt, Oppn trade barbs as row over USAID funding intensifies

SECTION 66 OF THE PMLA ALLOWS ED TO FURNISH INFORMATION TO ANY AGENCY OR POLICE DEPARTMENT IF IT FEELS A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED

- Neeraj Chauhan

HTC and agencies [e-mail] NEW DELHI: The controversy over the US allegedly giving $21 million to India during the Biden administration continued to snowball on Friday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party calling Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a "traitor" and accusing him of colluding with foreign forces to weaken India even as the Congress cited a media report which said that the money was meant for Bangladesh and not for India, and an apology from the ruling party.

The comments came even as the ministry of external affairs issued the government's official stand on the issue, and said the revelations were "deeply troubling" as they have led to concerns about foreign interference in the country's internal affairs.

Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia addressed a press conference, and alleged that the USAID funding came to India to disrupt electoral politics. "More than $21 million funding came to the government in India from 2004-13 during the erstwhile Congress led UPA rule. And, just $1.5 million came during Modiji's term. It's because they know that Narendra Modi will not sell India and India's interests to any foreign power," he said.

A larger share of the USAID fund came into India during the UPA regime because the Congress can broker the country's sovereignty and its interests, Bhatia alleged. "While funding for the government (in India) stopped, there was an increase in funding for the NGOs during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra to strengthen Rahul Gandhi ahead of the polls in an attempt to defeat Narendra Modi (in the Lok Sabha elections)," he alleged.