While the Moneylife report on the construction of a post-retirement bungalow for Pratibha Patil in Pune became viral in social media, the President's office came up with a denial which did not address the core issues, but was carried faithfully by the mainstream media
When the Moneylife report on the construction of a post-retirement bungalow for president Pratibha Patil in Pune President Pratibha Patil grabs 2,61,000 sq ft of land meant for soldiers and officers hit the internet running, it became viral in the social media, attracting even more damaging information on the activities of the president and her immediate family in Maharashtra. The mainstream media was slow to react, despite constantly being needled in the social media for ignoring what was public knowledge in Maharashtra. Eventually the president's office came up with a denial which did not address the core issues, but was carried faithfully by the mainstream media. Meanwhile, out there in Pune, the truth is out there to be seen. Can anybody stop the truth from coming out in this day and age of internet? With this report we have pictures of the president’s bungalow under construction.
It doesn’t get higher than the president, in India, and in what appears to be an unwritten law with the mainstream media in Delhi, you don't persist in saying or writing anything about the office and the persons therein which can even remotely be considered to be demoralising or dishonouring. This could be in exchange for the typical quid-pro-quo arrangements that exist in Delhi with such things or born out of traditions going back to a day when feudal and colonial practices were justified. But times have changed.
And nobody brought this out better than Vinita Deshmukh of Pune, a regular columnist for Moneylife, winner of the Chameli Devi Award for journalism and fearless to her own truths to a point where the typical pressures that emanate in and from Delhi, didn’t really impact what is rapidly becoming a report with no previous parallel.
In a situation where corruption in high places is becoming the major issue in India, it is expected that the president and her office take extra special care to stay clear of even the least taint or suspicion. On that count there is still no cogent explanation or response.
Based on more inputs, it remains to be seen whether these questions will be answered or not, either through the RTI route or directly, and much of how the people of this country hold the high office of the president will be decided by that. That is the point that Ms Deshmukh’s report brings out in a straightforward article based on facts which only Moneylife had the guts to carry.
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Withdrawal from the allotment made under some pretext is unassuming as it is by the Highest Authority of India. She has broken records of all earlier Presidents.
Is President for our protection or procurement?
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/hom...
""In a huge snub to the head of the state President Pratibha Patil, the Home Ministry has turned down her demand for Rs 85 lakhs to do up her new controversy ridden retirement home in Pune.
Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram has reluctantly sanctioned Rs 20 lakhs which is still a record sum in the history of the republic.
Former presidents such as APJ Kalam were given Rs 6 and a half lakhs and earlier presidents such as KR Narayan and Shankar Dayal Sharma sought and got only Rs four and a half lakhs and one and a half lakhs.
This was cited by the Home Ministry to turn down Pratibha Patil's demand.""
Long live Indian sycophants and corrupt politicians.
""The President has a house in Amravati district of Maharashtra worth Rs 39.60 lakh and a 3.82 hectares farm house worth Rs 9.82 lakh. She has inherited 3.57 hectares agricultural land worth Rs 7.81 lakh from her father in Jalgaon and another land worth Rs 20 lakh in Dhule district. Patil had purchased two agricultural plots of 1.19 hectares and 1.49 hectares in Jalgaon district in 1997-98 worth Rs 3.64 lakh and Rs 2.90 lakh respectively.""
http://www.business-standard.com/india/n...
Moneylife has been doing good job in keeping investors informed now it is challenging even bigger media houses.
Btw : Is tehelka still being published?
Except of course,when it happenst to be grabbinng anything and everything over others.
We should be justifiable ashamed,but MERA BHARAT MAHAN.
Here's Vinita Deshmukh on CNN IBN, where it appears as though the present President is sparring about the amount of land used by others!!
http://ibnlive.in.com/cnnibnvideos/mostv...
Please help by taking this cause far and wide, spread this article in regional languages if you can, and make sure that people get to know what is happening.
Thanks. And please wait for more revelations.
Regards/VM
Please do ask the Office of the President's Sectt. And spread the word too. In regional languages, please, if possible.
rgds/VM
Roy Scaria has given information on an even more valuable allotment for ex- Pres. Abdul Kalam. Even this is not a transfer of ownership. So even this is OK. Presidents must be treated with respect atleast with an accomodation other people in service have used, for stay during their lifetime.
http://www.vigilonline.com/index.php?opt...
The statement from the President's Sectt. neglects to clarify various aspects, eg:-
# total space utilised and under what sort of procedures.
# total covered area all inclusive.
# who bears cost of fresh new building
# who all stay in the accomodation planned.
Occupancy and possession are what it is about in MH, please bear in mind, and take it from there.
Author and publication stand by what they have written. Just because somebody in the past may or may not have committed a wrong does not mean it becomes OK for the future.
rgds/VM