Donald Trump, the former US president, has openly insinuated that the Biden administration was responsible for an alleged election interference in India. It was claimed that this interference came in the form of a massive $21 million United States Agency for International Development (USAID) grant, ostensibly provided to enhance voter participation in India in the previous year. Trump didn’t hesitate in his suggestion that this apparent gesture of international diplomacy from the Biden administration was nothing more than a covert attempt to support the opposition Congress Party and associated cohorts.
The underlying tone of Trump’s argument paints a picture of a Biden administration trying to play puppet master behind the scenes of international politics. ‘We must put this matter directly to the Indian government’, declared Trump. He optimistically labeled this as a groundbreaking discovery, that’ll unveil the supposedly duplicitous nature of Biden and his team.
The rapport between Trump and Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has often been classified as very close. This closeness has always prevailed, prevailing over major trade differences between the two nations. However, this recent point of contention catapulted by Trump could be seen as an attempt to undermine the current administration and possibly taint the relationship Biden has been seeking to establish with India.
Drawing a parallel with the agitations around alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, Trump questioned the gross disparities in the magnitude of outcry in both instances. For Trump, the controversial claims of Russia spending approximately $2 on internet ads to influence the US elections, which served as a catalysis for a massive controversy, is dwarfed in comparison to the $21 million of American taxpayer funds allegedly used for election meddling by Biden’s administration.
Long has Trump borne the brunt of requests to explain Russia’s alleged involvement in the US elections. He has defended himself robustly, stating more than once that he has always followed a firm stance with Russia. Yet now, he questions why the Biden administration isn’t experiencing the same degree of scrutiny over this so-called interference in Indian politics.
Whilst accusations relating to election meddling and political shenanigans are hardly exclusive to Russian involvement in US politics, this subject matter rekindles the ongoing debate between Republicans and Democrats. Adding fuel to the fire of political dissension, the allegations against the Biden Government concerning the Indian elections prompts a renewed discussion around their potential involvements overseas.
The announcement of these allegations was then exploited to the maximum by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) IT cell. Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP’s IT cell, emphasized the surprising spike in US funding for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance in 2022. This spike suspiciously coincided with Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
Malviya alleged a ‘systematic attempt’ to influence the 2024 general elections in India with the goal of ensuring a different outcome. He dubs these events as constituting only ‘a small piece of the greater conspiracy’ – a tidal wave of insinuations against Biden and his administration, further fueled by Trump’s comments on the $21 million allegedly spent by them.
Deeper historical context was brought to light asserting that the US has past precedence of meddling in foreign countries’ politics under both the Republican and Democratic administrations. Even in the 1950s, the Campbell Soup Company, whose initials echoed the acronym for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was accused of backing the Congress Party against the Communist Party in the coastal state of Kerala in India.
This was seen as an attempt to halt the growth of Communism across Asia, culminating in the establishment of the first ever elected Communist government outside Russia and China, again in Kerala. Looking at these historical events, one can’t help but wonder whether the Biden administration’s alleged involvement in India is the continuation of a long and checkered legacy of American interference in other countries’ politics.
Trump’s accusations against Biden regarding India are part of a broader narrative that seems designed to derail the current administration in any way possible. It puts Biden and his administration under the spotlight, fostering an environment of mistrust and skepticism.
While the Congress Party in India has so far remained tight-lipped about these comments, the BJP has jumped on the opportunity to use them for its own political advantage. This begs the question, is it really about upholding democratic processes or just about scoring political points?
Scrutiny of the alleged funding provides a telling showcase of the questionable decisions and motivations under the Biden administration. While it’s yet to be seen whether this alleged instance of election meddling will lead to serious repercussions, it does add another piece to the growing body of evidence decrying the Biden administration’s approach to international politics.
While the focus remains on these new allegations, it’s crucial to remember that their validity is yet to be confirmed. This story serves as a critical reminder of the need for transparency, integrity, and truthfulness in the realm of politics – something the Biden administration seems to continually struggle to demonstrate.
At the core of this situation lies the question of American foreign policy and how it’s perceived by the international community under the leadership of Biden and Harris. The allegations made against them paint a concerning picture about the conduct of the current administration within the global political arena. If true, Biden’s supposed role in India’s internal affair may be an indication that old political habits die hard albeit under new leadership.