Rashtrapati Bhawan asks Patil's private family trust to return gifts

27 September, 2012

An RTI response has revealed that President's Secretariat has taken steps to undo the wrong, by asking a private trust owned by family of former President Pratibha Patil to return gifts received by former president in her official capacity.

HOWEVER, RTI response reveals that President's Secretariat did not follow Toshakha rules regarding the gifts received by Pratibha Patil as President of India. Enquiry should be ordered and responsibility fixed on those who did not follow rules while taking account of gifts received by Pratibha Patil as president. This should also include officials who signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for transferring gifts to a private trust.

Pratibha Patil has been reportedly involved in controversy for misusing the highest office of nation for 'leisure and pleasure'. She reportedly took along her family members, relatives and friends to highly expensive official trips, costing more than Rs 200 crores to the nation.

It is therefore mandatory to define ‘family-members’ of president, who are entitled to enjoy at public expense. Only president's spouse should be allowed to accompany him/ her during the trips. However, if the wife of president isn't fit to accompany him/ her in official trips, another lady member from the family may join.

With service-rules changed for government employees, pension to all in legislature right from parliamentarians to president should also be abandoned, abolishing facility of post-retirement bungalows for former dignitaries.