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A fresh political storm has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress after former U.S. President Donald Trump made a statement regarding a $21 million USAID contribution for voter turnout in India.
The BJP has accused Congress of inviting foreign interference in Indian elections, linking Trump’s remarks to Rahul Gandhi’s 2023 comments on democracy concerns abroad. Congress, in response, has demanded the Indian government release a white paper on USAID’s historical funding to various organizations in India.
So #DOGE has discovered that #USAID allocated $21million for “voter turnout” in India ,a euphemism for paying voters to cast their votes to effect regime change. #VeenaReddy was sent to India in 2021 ( ominous?) as head of USAIDs Indian mission . Post #loksabha elections 2024 (…
— Mahesh Jethmalani (@JethmalaniM) February 16, 2025
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BJP Links Trump’s Allegations to Rahul Gandhi’s Remarks
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad targeted Congress by playing clips of both Donald Trump and Rahul Gandhi to back his allegations.
“Congress should be ashamed. Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly mocked Indian democracy on foreign soil and sought external intervention,” Prasad stated.
The controversy escalated after Trump questioned the USAID funding, saying:
“Why do we need to spend $21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected.”
Congress dismissed these allegations as baseless, stating that USAID funding has historically supported development and governance programs, not election-related activities.
Veena Reddy Under Scrutiny Over USAID’s Role
Amid the funding row, attention has turned to Veena Reddy, the former USAID Mission Director in India, following comments from BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani.
Jethmalani alleged that USAID’s funding for voter turnout operations required deeper scrutiny. He pointed out that Reddy was posted to India in 2021 and left soon after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, raising questions about her tenure.
“USAID allocated $21 million for ‘voter turnout’—a euphemism for influencing regime change. Veena Reddy was sent to India in 2021 and returned post-elections in 2024. She should have been questioned about where the money went,” Jethmalani wrote on social media platform X.
Who is Veena Reddy?
Veena Reddy is an Indian-American diplomat, originally from Andhra Pradesh, who has held multiple senior positions in USAID (United States Agency for International Development).
Key Positions at USAID:
- Mission Director for USAID India and Bhutan (2021–2024)
- Mission Director in Cambodia, overseeing programs in food security, environment, health, education, and democracy
- Deputy Mission Director in Haiti, leading post-earthquake reconstruction and economic development efforts
Educational and Professional Background:
- Juris Doctor (JD) from Columbia University School of Law
- Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Chicago
- Worked as a corporate attorney in New York, London, and Los Angeles before joining USAID
Veena Reddy’s Exit and the Political Fallout
On July 17, 2024, a little over a month after the Lok Sabha election results, Reddy returned to the U.S., as per media reports. While her exit appears routine, BJP leaders have raised suspicions about the timing and are demanding an investigation into her role in USAID funding in India.
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