The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the United States recently published a post on X, revealing a list of funding initiatives that were stopped or canceled. Among these, one particular allocation has drawn significant attention in India. According to DOGE’s post, $21 million was specifically allocated for ‘voter turnout’ in India—equivalent to ₹182 crores as per today’s exchange rate.
US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled:
– $10M for “Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision”
– $9.7M for UC Berkeley to develop “a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills”
– $2.3M for “strengthening…— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 15, 2025
Now, what is more intriguing is that Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra had recently spoken about “voter turnout” in parliament. On 13 December 2024, at a Lok Sabha session, she said, “Voter disenfranchisement has reached epic proportions in India. In the past general elections as well as in the recent by-polls in many BJP-ruled states, there were widespread documented – caught on television cameras, caught on mobile phones – instances of voter suppression from names missing on electoral rolls, by police used to threaten, beat and intimidate voters. We saw it in Rampur, we saw it in Sambal, entire localities were being forced to stay home. Another aspect is the largely targeted exclusion of a hated minority by a prejudiced majoritarian state.”
That Speech in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/YbmontKVd6
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) February 16, 2025
Another important point that has come to light is that Moitra was the recipient of the East Asia Security Fellowship offered by the US State Department earlier.
Just one more question @USAndIndia. Then MLA (Now MP) Ms @MahuaMoitra claims you sponsored her for @StateDept’s “East Asia Security Fellowship”. Curiously she targets the same people @OCCRP does. So why is it everyone you sponsor end up attacking the same Indian businesses? https://t.co/ZLhbpt7THa pic.twitter.com/G4u6ugkqwi
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) December 7, 2024
It is noteworthy that in 2023 Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha after the Ethics Committee found her guilty of unethical conduct and contempt of the House. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused her of accepting bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask parliamentary questions favoring his business over rivals like Adani Group.
The committee’s report, adopted by a 6-4 majority, alleged that Moitra shared her login credentials with Hiranandani, compromising national security. It claimed 50 of her 61 questions benefited his business. The panel urged a legal probe into her alleged financial misconduct, citing a lack of technical expertise to track the money trail. Moitra denied the accusations, calling them lies fueled by a “jilted ex” and dismissing the inquiry as a “kangaroo court.”
She also accused the committee of conducting a biased and humiliating hearing. Despite her objections, the Lok Sabha passed a motion to expel her, paving the way for a further government investigation.
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