The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently canceled a $21 million grant intended for the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) to support voter turnout efforts in India. This move drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who accused the Opposition Congress of allowing external influence in India’s elections.
In a message shared on X, DOGE, which is led by Elon Musk, outlined that taxpayer money was meant for various projects that have now been canceled. This included a significant amount earmarked for enhancing the political process in Moldova and the grant for India. However, specific details about the intended beneficiary in India were not disclosed. Additionally, the websites for CEPPS and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the organization that funds CEPPS, were unavailable for comment.
Since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, DOGE has been reevaluating funding agreements established under previous administrations, leading to cuts in grants and programs by USAID.
In his response on X, Amit Malviya called the $21 million grant “external interference” in India’s electoral process, questioning who would benefit from it. Rajeev Chandrasekhar echoed these sentiments, suggesting that this financial support could undermine democratic values. He suggested that many recent protests may have been funded by foreign sources, calling for a thorough investigation into the money trails associated with USAID funds in India.
CEPPS is described as a nonprofit that combines the expertise of three major organizations dedicated to supporting electoral processes worldwide. They aim to foster resilient and accountable democracies by partnering with local and global entities. CEPPS was formed in 1995 and funded through USAID’s Global Elections and Political Transitions Program, which helps deliver democracy-related initiatives on a significant scale.
In 2012, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) signed an agreement with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to share knowledge and experience in election management. Malviya pointed to this agreement to criticize the Congress for what he termed “foreign involvement” in Indian elections. However, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi defended the memorandum, clarifying that it did not involve any financial obligations and aimed solely at facilitating training.
Quraishi stated that claims associating the memorandum with financing are misleading. The ECI has not yet publicly commented on the situation, but the controversy continues as discussions around foreign influence and election integrity in India deepen.
Recent actions by the DOGE highlight ongoing tensions in international funding for electoral processes and raise questions about the impact of external support on domestic politics.
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