The Hindu : Front Page : Normal practice to hire private aircraft: Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Front Page

Front Page

Normal practice to hire private aircraft: Congress

Special Correspondent

Rs. 12 lakhs paid in advance for use of plane by Sonia

NEW DELHI: Caught in a controversy over the use of a private aircraft of a leading industrial house by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to reach Moscow, the Congress said it paid Rs. 12 lakhs in advance to the organisation as hire charges.

A section of the media had published a report and a photograph of the aircraft that took Ms. Gandhi to Moscow on Sunday. Reports said the plane belonged to the Reliance group.

Party treasurer Motilal Vora said the Congress had paid the amount as advance on June 2, and added that it was a normal practice for the organisation to hire private aircraft either for electioneering or for party purposes.

Earlier at the party briefing, spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said she had no idea of the type of aircraft used by Ms. Gandhi. She was responding to a question whether Ms. Gandhi used a commercial airline or a private aircraft to go to Russia. According to published reports, Ms. Gandhi travelled by a Bombardier jet — an executive aircraft capable of long-distance flying.

Asked in what capacity she went to Russia, Ms. Natarajan said Ms. Gandhi is the Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance and president of the Congress.

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