The Leftist ecosystem has been thrown into disarray following a sweeping crackdown on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which had long been a conduit for propagating Leftist-Islamist narratives worldwide. USAID’s website had been wiped clean, leaving only a stark notice announcing that nearly 10,000 personnel across the globe had been placed on administrative leave—save for a select few deemed mission-critical.
Discontinuing Foreign Aid
On January 20, the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump issued an executive order halting all US foreign aid. In swift response, the State Department suspended all USAID operations worldwide. Agency computer systems went offline, projects were frozen and staff was either abruptly dismissed or sidelined.
Now we will expose Indian journalists who, bankrolled by USAID, have pushed Islamist and Leftist propaganda through platforms such as Al Jazeera and The Wire.
Corrupting Journalists
The depth of foreign interference in India’s media landscape is far more insidious than most realise. USAID, operating as an arm of the US Government’s propaganda machinery, has funnelled millions of dollars into Indian journalism, creating a network of loyalists who operate under the guise of independent reporters. These so-called journalists, funded and trained through entities like Internews Network—the parent organisation of Earth Journalism Network—function as nothing more than assets in the US-backed global disinformation campaign.
USAID’s Hidden Agenda
USAID’s primary objective is not to strengthen civil society or promote press freedom, as it deceptively claims but to install ideological operatives who can push its Leftist-Islamist propaganda. This is done under the pretense of “capacity building” and “media strengthening,” while in reality, it serves to weaken national security and fragment India’s social and religious fabric.
According to a WikiLeaks exposé, the US Government has spent a staggering $472.6 million to manipulate media discourse worldwide. Of this, $415 million was funnelled through USAID, with the remaining $57 million coming from the U.S. State Department. The funding was directed through Internews Network, an organisation notorious for advancing American censorship agendas under the leadership of Jeanne Bourgault, a staunch advocate of narrative control. Critics rightly point out that Bourgault’s definition of “disinformation” is nothing but a smokescreen for silencing dissent.
The involvement of George Soros’s Open Society Foundations raises even more alarms. Internews has deep ties with Soros, dating back to its role in setting up the Balkan Media Network during the Yugoslav Wars—an effort widely believed to have fueled Western-backed interventions in the region. Soros, known for orchestrating regime change operations across the globe, has played a direct role in shaping India’s Left-liberal media ecosystem through his funding networks.
Meet USAID’s Propaganda Army
An investigation into USAID’s funding reveals that at least 86 Indian journalists have been bankrolled by foreign grants. Their ideological leanings, affiliations and published works all point to a disturbing trend: a calculated effort to undermine India’s sovereignty and cultural identity.
Revealing Identity of Media Operatives
- Wahid Bhat
A recipient of a National Foundation for India (NFI) award—an organisation birthed by the Ford Foundation and Tata Trusts—Bhat has been instrumental in spreading Leftist and anti-Hindu narratives.
- Aathira Perinchery
A writer for The Wire, a portal infamous for peddling extremist Left-wing propaganda. From whitewashing terrorists to glorifying anti-India riots and Naxalite insurgents, The Wire has mastered the art of subversion.
- Aishwarya Tripathi
A 2021 fellow of the National Foundation for India, Tripathi worked with a IPSMF-funded website—part of the same network that systematically pushes anti-India rhetoric.
- Aradhna Wal
Her affiliation with The Wire’s Grit Fellowship aligns her with an outlet that has consistently functioned as a mouthpiece for anti-India forces.
- Shaba Manzoor
Having worked with Article 14 and Barkha Dutt’s Mojo Story, Manzoor openly supports regressive Islamist ideas like hijab radicalism while amplifying opposition propaganda through social media.
- Sibi Arasu
A contributor to The Wire and Scroll, Arasu has outrageously labelled India a “Nazi nation” and repeatedly advocated against Hindutva.
- Makepeace Sitlhou
A regular writer for The Washington Post, BBC, Al Jazeera, and CNN, Sitlhou has mocked Hindu deities, promoted violent Naxalite ideologies and routinely made derogatory remarks about Hindu customs—all while securing financial backing from USAID.
- Tarushi Aswani
A staunch advocate for restoring Article 370, Aswani sees the well-documented rise in Islamist radicalisation as mere “Hindutva propaganda.” She also portrays Bollywood films exposing jihadist narratives as “Modi-BJP jingoism”—a classic deflection tactic.
Weaponising Journalism
USAID and its foreign collaborators are cunning. They fund these operatives under the guise of climate change and environmental journalism, only to later weaponise them against Governments and corporations that refuse to submit to the Western liberal order. Their strategy is simple: create media narratives that delegitimise nationalist movements while strengthening the globalist agenda.
It is no coincidence that all these so-called “independent journalists” operate within the same ideological framework, echo the same talking points, and receive funding from the same international networks. The USAID-backed media apparatus is nothing more than a sophisticated fifth column, working to destabilise Bharat from within.
The time has come to expose and dismantle this dangerous ecosystem. The Government must act decisively to curb foreign-funded media influence, enforce stricter FCRA regulations, and ensure that India’s narrative is shaped by its own people—not by operatives sitting in Washington, Brussels, or London.
