Trump's statement about US funding related to Indian polls serious, says Pawar

United States US President Donald Trumps recent statement about funds related to polls in India are very serious if they are true Nationalist Congress Party SP supremo Sharad Pawar said on MondayHe was responding to a media query on Tesla chief Elon Musks comments against Electronic Voting Machines EVM reported news agency PTIWhat I feel most serious is that Trump has made some contribution in our elections If that statement is true then it is very serious Sharad Pawar told reportersThe NCP SP chief also stressed the importance of ensuring clarity and transparency concerning any external interference in Indias democratic processes reported PTIThe veteran leaders comments came following a statement from the Trump administrationrsquos Department of Overseas Government Engagement DOGE on February 16 which revealed that United States Agency for International Development USAID had cancelled USD 21 million in funding for ldquovoting in Indiardquo This sparked a heated debate between the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and the Opposition parties led by the Congress Trump had claimed that the Joe Biden administration allocated USD 21 million to India to boost voter turnoutMusk had in June 2024 suggested on X that EVMs should be eliminated owing to the risk of being hacked by humans or AI artificial intelligence However he acknowledged that the risk was low His comment was in reaction to allegations of irregularities involving EVMs during Puerto Ricorsquos pollsMaharashtraKarnataka border row Suspension of bus services affect people says Sharad PawarPawar also voiced concerns over the suspension of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC bus services to Karnataka following an incident in Chitradurga where proKannada activists allegedly attacked a vehicle and its driver Bhaskar Jadhav on Friday nightThe Maharashtra government ordered the suspension of buses to Karnataka after the attack On the same day a conductor from Karnatakarsquos stateowned transport corporation was reportedly assaulted in Belagavi for not responding in Marathi to a girl The incidents have escalated tensions between the two states especially in the border areas where Belagavi has a significant Marathispeaking population that often demands the districtrsquos merger with Maharashtra a stance opposed by proKannada activistsSuch suspension of bus services should be avoided because it affects the common people Such suspension causes inconvenience to the people Pawar told reporters in Mumbai PTI reportedHe also downplayed the political controversy that arose after he awarded the Mahadji Shinde award to Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtrarsquos Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi recentlyThe Marathispeaking people living in Delhi came together and constituted the Mahadji Shinde award On the same day it was given to Eknath Shinde I was there hence I gave the award to Shinde Apart from him 14 other people were also felicitated at the same event but focus remained only on Shinde he saidThe Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi along with Pawars party and the Congress had expressed displeasure at the NCP SP chief giving the award to ShindeWith PTI inputs