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Sonia’s Russia visit : Controversy over use of Reliance plane |
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A controversy has arisen over Congress president Sonia Gandhi using an executive jet owned by Reliance Industries for her Russia visit. The BJP has described the use of the Reliance plane as highly irregular. The party also objected to the visit breaking protocol where the Prime Minister sees off only the President and the Vice President and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh accompanying the Congress president on her unofficial visit.
Both the Congress and the Prime Minister’s Office rejected the BJP charges. PM’s media advisor said that the Prime Minister is not a prisoner of protocol and is free to go to see off the leader of his party. On the use of the Reliance plane, the Congress clarified that it had paid for its charter.
On Natwar Singh accompanying Sonia Gandhi, the Congress said that it was only appropriate that the External Affairs Minister was present during the deliberations with Russian leaders which were of national significance. Congress spokesperson, Anand Sharma, said that Sonia Gandhi was not on a personal or party visit, but stopped short of describing it as an official visit.
Observers say that there have been many previous instances of political leaders using aircraft owned by private companies for their visits, within and outside the country.
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