PANJIM: President of India Pratibha Patil’s four day visit to Goa in January this year was an official one and not a private trip. This has been revealed in information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to Information Act by the Goa Government’s Protocol Department.
It may be recalled that Government sources in January had stated that President Pratibha Patil’s visit to Goa from 3rd January to 6th January was purely a private trip.
The information now furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues also states that the Goa Government was informed about the President’s visit only on 1st January 2011, just two days prior to her arrival.
A total expenditure of Rs 14, 18, 772 was incurred by the Protocol department of the Goa Government on the President Pratibha Patil’s 4 day visit to Goa. This does not include the expenses on the dinner hosted by Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu on January 5th in honour of President Patil.
The information furnished to Adv. Rodrigues has further revealed that President Pratibha Patil was accompanied on her trip to Goa by her husband Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, her daughter Jyoti Rathore, grand daughter Vedika Rathore and a total of 36 personal staff.
While Rs 3, 20,250 was spent on the lodging and boarding expenses at Cidade de Goa for the members of the President’s entourage, a further amount of Rs 1, 29,915 was spent on the lodging and boarding of those housed at the International centre. A total of Rs 6, 23,188 was spent on vehicles hired from Goa Tourism Development Corporation to be used by the President’s entourage. Rs 2, 01,220 was spent on the lunch and visit by the President Pratibha Patil to Taj Exotica at Benaulim on 4th January. The lunch hosted on 6th January by Chief Minister Mr. Digambar Kamat at Cidade de Goa in honour of President Patil cost the exchequer Rs 1,19,999. While Rs 20,000 was spent on the boat ride, Para sailing and Jet Ski organized forPresident Patil at Benaulim beach, a cost of Rs 4,400 on flowers offered to her.
Reacting to the information furnished to him, Adv. Aires Rodrigues has stated that though President Patil was on a private holiday to Goa her visit was sought to be shown as official so that the expenditure could be charged to the State exchequer.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that if the trip was official the authorities should explain what was the official purpose of President Pratibha Patil’s 4 day visit to Goa.
Demanding that such unnecessary trips and extravagant expenditure should stop, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that besides being a very unjust burden on the State exchequer it was also an inconvenience to the public at large because of traffic jams caused by such visits.
The Goan taxpayers would like to know why she and her kutumb was not housed in Raj Bhavan or any other Defence base such as INS Hansa or INS Mandovi since she is the head of defence. It would have been cheaper and full of security. This proves that they were on Holiday and require five star treatment.
ReplyDeleteIs she looks like President?. Does this lady have qualities of President?. This grany who is not fit to be class peon in the office, being made president of India and enjoys full benefit of all the luxuries at the tax payers expense. Utter Shame on India!!!
ReplyDeleteSo this is the reason she was not wearing BIKINI on the place where she suppose to do so.These is daylight looting, what Fake Freedom Fighter and communal forces who often attack minorities for trying to safeguard justice would says now.Is the President of India is not anti-national? for looting country through false statements.
ReplyDeleteEvery politician uses the tax payers money in some way or the other for their own personal needs. The recent investigation in UK had nabbed members of the house use their position to take benefits which they were not entitled to, and not forgetting how they paid for rent towards the housing of their mistresses as well. In this case these ministers resigned and walked out in shame, However in India abusing such public funds seems to be more of a pride then shame.All politicians justify their acts no matter how criminal they are.In this case of the President being entertained by Goa's Digamber, for sure he must have had some additional favours to ask, may be transfer the whole of Goa into his name. Looting , plundering Goa has not satisfied them as yet............
ReplyDeleteThe spoils of war, my dear.
ReplyDeleteThe president was there to see that the spoils of war are properly distributed among all Indians, not only for the nehru family. Allthough Nehru was the one with courage to invade a weak neighbour. In IOG the president of India has all the right to do what she wants and how she wants, If we Goans don't like it, then it's high time to get rid of all Indians and ask for independence.
I do not blame you Vincent for your remarks in frustration against the President, but anyone who have come to know that President's visit though private (as per Goa Govt earlier announcement) was shown later as Official so that the expenditure of (whooping amount Rs, 14,18,772) could be charged to Goan People, should feel disgusted and I am disgusted. One will remember, Cidade de Goa was in news some times earlier as the Goa Assembly changed the rules to accommodate exclusively Cidade de Goa (which falls within the demolition regulation) while the houses and structures of other Goan People at Costal belt were demolished as they apparently fell within the demolition regulations. Now one will perfectly know the reason why these 40 Chors in the Assembly have favoured Cidade de Goa. In the President's expenditure for lodging and boarding Cidade de Goa was especially chosen to benefit Cidade de Goa as this Hotel have heavily bribed the 40 Chors to favour them in accommodating them in the passing of the Bill at the Vidhan Sabha. It is indeed an utter shame to Goa Govt. too besides India. Now we want to know what Manohar Parrikar have to say if he is not a party to this loot.
ReplyDeleteSome of UKs politicians is serving Jail time while Goan politicians commit the worst crimes and are enjoying their freedom.
ReplyDeleteThey invade our country,impose their corrupt rule on us and now they are enjoying our tax payers money. Our politicians are to be blamed for entertaining them.
ReplyDeleteElecting Old Farts to be Governors and Presidents is a Joke of our nation.
I share your sentiments.
ReplyDeleteIndians enjoying Holidays at Goan taxpayers money while poor Goans are struggling to make ends meet.
ReplyDeleteBloody Indian rouges no different than Goan ministers. What is the use of having presidents and governors in India, it makes no difference to the ruling parties or the citizens. They rob and cheat as is typical in the Indian blood.
ReplyDeleteWhat the teaboy of congress party in Goa, the toad of Margao, has to say. The President should have been accomodated at MONTI DONGOR for few days. We need TERRAMOLL in Goa to teach a lesson to the corrupt and chor politicians.
ReplyDelete@ Diogo Fichardo
ReplyDeleteYou are a traitor when you say our country, the old looking women is Indias President not our's. This is only for your information. Please don't get excited,
Knowing Diogo very well for over 40 years I am sure he meant Goa as our country and not India, he has always maintained Indians as murdering invaders that too for very good tragic reasons.
ReplyDeleteAhe should have been paraded through all the Ghanti Nagars in Goa including Chimbel
ReplyDeleteShe should have been paraded through all the Ghanti Nagars in Goa including Chimbel
ReplyDeleteDiogo we know you are a pro Goan, your actions speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteHello Pedro, I think you misunderstood the content of Diago, when he said 'They invade our Country" he meant Goa as our country and not bloody India.
ReplyDeleteHi Pedro:
ReplyDeleteI too can assure you that Diogo is a True Goan , as stated by Anand Desai Mopa.
He has made it clear that they invade our country (GOA).He is not refering to India being invaded,but instead India imposing their world renowned corrupt rule on our GOA.
I hope you will accept my polite correction.
Hi Navelkar: From all known sources, this visit was meant to be PRIVATE.This should mean & indicate that the holidaymaker (President & entourage) self-finances themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis is a clear case of lies by the Gia Government or the President.
Here is an excerpt from the Times of India:
"
Goa Police summon photographers for clicking President Patil's pictures
PTI, Jan 5, 2011, 07.16pm IST
Tags:
Pratibha Patil
PANAJI: A photograph of President Pratibha Patil on the Goa beach surrounded by bikini-clad women and men in swimming trunks carried in newspapers on Wednesday has angered officials here who summoned three photo journalists and questioned them.
Police called three local photo-journalists, who had shot Patil's pictures on the beach, and recorded their statements. Since the President is on a private visit, picture-taking was not allowed, police said."
@ Diogo Fichardo
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I've misunderstood you, now I know you meant our country is GOA and not the Union of India.
You are a great person doing the right thing for Goa and I admire that, and I do not hold anything against anyone specially you. When ever I travel abroad and if I have to fill forms I put my origin as GOAN with pride. God Bless and Happy Easter.
ReplyDeleteDear Diogo
ReplyDeleteI go even further then that, when I travel to Europe or to the Gulf with my Portuguese passport, dark that I'm, I tell the customs and the immigration that I'm a Goan Origin, India invaded us and this the reason that I've a Portuguese passport and not a Goan Passport. This is not a lie, we're still in the Easter season, I wish you and all the well wishers of NG a happy Easter.
Mog assundi
Hi Mario: The Pesident did not wear the customary "BIKINI", as it would then be considered a Private visit.
ReplyDeleteShe had to wear her Sari, as she wanted the Goa Govt and we the taxpayers to foot the bill for her holiday.
I think, if she did wear a Bikini, all the Tourists would disappear or run away.All shacks too would be emptied!
Hi Silvestor: Forget the parade...she would look like one of the Nagar Natives.
ReplyDeletethumbs up to you
ReplyDelete