Vice President Dhankhar Calls for Action Against External Electoral Influence

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has raised concerns about USAID's alleged funding aimed at influencing voter turnout in India. He stressed the importance of rooting out external interference that undermines India's democratic processes. Dhankhar criticized those manipulating electoral integrity and urged public awareness to protect democratic institutions.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his concerns on Friday about the alleged USAID funding that aimed to raise voter turnout in India, describing it as a 'political Covid' weakening Indian democracy. Dhankhar emphasized the need to expose individuals involved in such activities and restore democratic integrity.

Addressing recent remarks by US President Donald Trump in Miami, Dhankhar reiterated the importance of Indian sovereignty in electoral processes. Trump accused USAID of improperly influencing India's elections with significant monetary contributions. Dhankhar stressed that electoral choices should solely rest with Indian citizens.

Dhankhar also highlighted the need to respect constitutional institutions, criticizing attempts to ridicule them. He underscored the national duty of citizens to counteract forces detrimental to democracy, referring to expenditure changes announced by the US Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, to discontinue funding related to voter turnout in India.