Pratibha’s gifts are in son’s museum, says Rashtrapati Bhavan

[email protected] (The Hindu)
September 26, 2012

Pratibha-Patil

New Delhi, September 26: The former President, Pratibha Patil, whose foreign tours and post-retirement housing plans generated controversies towards the end of her tenure, is attracting fresh criticism for dispatching gifts received while in office to a museum run by her son.

According to an answer provided by Rashtrapati Bhavan to a Right to Information query by activist Subhash Chandra Agarwal, as many as 155 gifts/artefacts received by Ms. Patil during her tenure have been given on loan to the Vidya Bharati Shaikshanik Mandal, Amravati, Maharashtra, for display.

In his query, Mr Agarwal cited media reports that the gifts were kept in the private museum of this Mandal, which is controlled by none other than her son and Congress MLA Rajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Rasthrapati Bhavan said an MoU was signed between the President’s Secretariat and the Mandal on June 15 this year, a few weeks before she demitted office. It said the MoU would cease to be operative from June 15, 2013, and all the artefacts currently on loan would be returned to Rashtrapati Bhavan thereafter.

The RTI reply also cited a precedent for this, noting that during the term of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, 36 artifacts were handed over for display in the Brahmos Centre in New Delhi.

But Mr. Agarwal argues that while the Brahmos Centre was a government body, the Vidya Bharati Mandal is a private trust involving Ms. Patil’s family members. He alleges that the RTI response makes it clear the President’s Secretariat during Ms. Patil’s tenure did not follow the toshakhana (government treasury) rules in regard to gifts received by the President.

He says that like her predecessors, Ms. Patil should have surrendered all her gifts to the toshakhana.

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News Network
March 12,2020

Bhopal, Mar 12: The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Thursday took a dig at Jyotiraditya Scindia, who broke ranks with the party and joined BJP on Wednesday, by pointing out that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Amit Shah had not even put out as much a tweet to welcome him in the party, and construed it as "humiliation" for the "maharaja".

"Not even a tweet by Narendra Modi-ji or Amit Shah-ji to welcome Scindia-ji! Modi-ji, Shah-ji, at least do not do it so soon. It has not even been 24 hours yet and you guys have already started humiliating him...!" Madya Pradesh Congress tweeted in Hindi.

Taking a jibe at Mr Scindia, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior who ended his 18-year-long association with the Congress party on a bitter note, the state Congress said: "He is a maharaja, the one whose history is often mentioned by Shivraj-ji (former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan)."

On Wednesday, Jyotiraditya  Scindia joined BJP in New Delhi in the presence of party president JP Nadda. He had resigned from Congress a day earlier after meeting Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Scindia will file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections on March 13. He is expected to go to Bhopal today.

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News Network
March 30,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 30: The Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said that the state government's decision to sell alcohol to those with a prescription from doctors for having withdrawal symptoms is not a scientific one.

"Scientific treatment should be given to those who have alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It can be treated at home or in hospitals with medicines. It is not scientifically acceptable to offer alcohol to such people instead," a statement by IMA said.
The IMA said that they have taken the matter up with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The association said that the doctors have no legal obligation to provide a prescription for alcohol.

"Writing a liquor prescription can result in the cancellation of the right to treatment. We have brought it to the notice of Chief Minister," it added.

IMA state president Dr Abraham Varghese and state secretary Dr Gopi Kumar said that scientific treatments are good for those with withdrawal symptoms and added that if other methods are adopted it will only complicate matters.

Kerala government had earlier said that it was considering the option of online sale of liquor in the state to those with a prescription from doctors.

The decision had come in the backdrop of a country-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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News Network
July 21,2020

New Delhi, Jul 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday condoled the demise of Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon.

Tandon, 85, passed away at 5:35 am on Tuesday after a prolonged illness.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi posted a picture with Madhya Pradesh Governor and wrote, "Shri Lalji Tandon will be remembered for his untiring efforts to serve society. He played a key role in strengthening the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. He made a mark as an effective administrator, always giving importance of public welfare. Anguished by his passing away."
"Shri Lalji Tandon was well-versed with constitutional matters. He enjoyed a long and close association with beloved Atal Ji. In this hour of grief, my condolences to the family and well-wishers of Shri Tandon. Om Shanti," he added.

President Kovind expressed condolences saying that we have lost a legendary leader today.

"In the passing away of Madhya Pradesh Governor Shri Lal Ji Tandon, we have lost a legendary leader who combined cultural sophistication of Lucknow and acumen of a national stalwart. I deeply mourn his death. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends," he tweeted.

His last rites will be performed at Gulala Ghat in Lucknow at 4:30 pm today.

Tandon was admitted to a hospital after complaining of breathing problems, difficulty in urination and fever. He has been undergoing treatment since June 11. 

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