Just a few months into her term, President Patil is heading into a fresh controversey.
The Central and State govermnet are bending backwards to build a Rs 400 crore airport in Amravati. Amravati is the hometown of Patil.
The TOI writes:
Talk about the unofficial perks of high office. The central and state governments have decided to spend a whopping Rs 400 crore to build a new airport at Amravati, President Pratibha Patil’s hometown. The same state government is, however, unwilling to write off the loans of misery-ridden Vidarbha farmers whose suicide toll now stands at more than 1,500.
Of course it goes without saying that we cannot inconvenience the President by asking her to travel 3 hours by car from Nagpur.
In private, officials are questioning the wisdom of such a spend when Nagpur airport is only three-hour drive to Amravati. However, civil aviation minister Praful Patel says he will support the proposal in all possible ways.
You know my views on Patil. Oh, how I wish Dr. Kalam was still in the highest office of the country.
