India’s Economic Advisor slams USAID as “Biggest Scandal” after U.S. cuts aid

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic advisor, Sanjeev Sanyal, has called the U.S. aid organization USAID the “largest scandal” after the U.S. announced cuts in financial assistance to India and several other countries, including Bangladesh.

Sanyal‍‍`s remarks came after the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, decided to halt a significant $21 million in aid to India. 

The aid was reportedly intended to encourage voter participation in Indian elections. Sanyal called this cut “the largest scandal in the history of human civilization.”

The announcement of the aid suspension has ignited heated political debates in India. Some opposition leaders have raised concerns, saying the move shows clear foreign interference in India’s electoral process. 

Meanwhile, supporters of the ruling party have argued that the cut in aid will not benefit the opposition. They also criticized Congress and the Gandhi family for their alleged connections to American billionaire George Soros.

The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency had previously spent $460 million to help improve electoral systems and political structures in various countries. 

This has now become a topic of intense scrutiny, with many questioning how the aid was used. 

Sanyal stressed the importance of investigating who received this American financial assistance, particularly aimed at boosting voter turnout in India. 

“We must find out who received this American money,” he said.

The story has sparked discussions on foreign influence in domestic politics and the role of international aid in elections.