New Delhi – BJP leader Nalin Kohli has voiced strong concerns over reports of a US agency allocating $21 million for election-related activities in India, questioning whether this constitutes foreign interference in the country’s democratic process.
“Why would any US agency wish to fund election-related activities in India? Would that not amount to interference in our electoral process?” Kohli remarked, emphasizing that India, as the world’s largest democracy, conducts free and fair elections through well-established institutions like the Election Commission of India.
The BJP leader further criticized past instances of foreign influence in Indian elections, specifically referring to allegations that the Congress party engaged with organizations like Cambridge Analytica to manipulate electoral outcomes.
“If any entity has received funds under such a scheme, it must be disclosed. Preventing external interference is critical to safeguarding the integrity of democracy,” Kohli asserted.
His remarks have ignited debate over foreign funding in India’s electoral process, with growing calls for transparency regarding the source and purpose of such financial allocations. As the country gears up for the 2024 General Elections, the issue of foreign influence in democratic institutions is expected to remain a focal point of political discourse.