India Travel -Government on Wednesday sought to place an finish to an issue, generated by President Pratibha Patil taking her 2 grandchildren on a 9-day state visit to Seychelles and South Africa, saying it's a "normal diplomatic practice".
"It's a standard diplomatic observe that a visiting dignitaries often takes members of his/her family on visiting journeys. Hospitality for such visiting dignitaries in such cases is typically provided by the host government. it's not abnormal," official spokesperson in MEA Syed Akbaruddin told reporters. He was asked if it had been usual for the President to travel along with her grandchildren.
Citing many samples of visiting heads of states travelling with their members of the family, he said it included the recent visit by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who was in the middle of his son, and former US President Bill Clinton, who travelled along with his daughter Chelsea on a visit here. "It may be a traditional and standard diplomatic observe that visiting dignitaries takes those they're snug in terms of members of the family. Let's us finish this discussion as a result of there are enough examples.....," Akbaruddin said.
Earlier conjointly, President Patil's foreign journeys had raised eyebrows when a question created underneath RTI, filed by PTI, revealed that a whopping Rs 205 crore had been spent on her travel expenses since she assumed workplace in July 2007, surpassing the record of all her predecessors. During her tenure, President Patil has undertaken twelve foreign journeys, covering twenty two countries across four continents and spending seventy nine days abroad.
A series of RTI applications had shown that Air India spent quite Rs 169 crore on use of chartered aircraft, perpetually a Boeing 747-400, on the foreign visits of Patil who is usually in the middle of her members of the family. an extra Rs thirty six crore has been spent by MEA on accommodation, native travel, daily allowance and "miscellaneous" expenses. Former President A P J Abdul Kalam undertook seven journeys to seventeen countries throughout his five-year tenure.
Meanwhile, President's spokesperson Archana Datta said "Family members accompanying the President is not any breach of protocol. this is often a observe that goes on." Prithvi Singh Shekhawat and Vedika Rathore, grandson and granddaughter are travelling with Patil on her current visit to Seychelles and South Africa. "Most of the Presidents have travelled with their members of the family and guests within the past. it's conjointly a reciprocatory gesture. These are traditional courtesies being extended in diplomatic relations," Datta said.Then more detail visit India Tours.
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