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Journalism of Courage
Even as the Opposition accused Deputy PM L.K. Advani of converting his US trip to a family holiday, Government sources today clarified that the invitation from Vice President Dick Cheney was extended to his whole family.
And since he was flying commercial, having taken an Air India flight, Advani had paid for everyone. Other senior officers accompanying him — all of whom had taken their wives along — were paying for their spouses. And they had taken clearance from the PMO, sources said.
Officials in the Home and External Affairs ministries said the Government had not paid for anyone except the official delegation which comprised the DPM, his OSD Ajai Prasad, Personal Secretary Deepak Chopra, Home Secretary N. Gopalaswami, Director Intelligence Bureau K.P. Singh and Joint Secretary (America) Jayant Prasad.
To take their wives along, the officials had availed of the carrier’s one plus one scheme, offered in the Business Class. The DPM paid for his children, Jayant and Pratibha.
‘‘All the officials paid the taxes from their account, as also the visa fee for their wives. Even within the US, travel was taken care of by them personally,’’ an official explained. Travel from NY to Washington to LA to Chicago, and back to NY — by United Airlines — was paid for by officials. And onward trip to UK and back was again taken care of by them, the official added. ‘‘No tax payers’ money has been spent on the trip. At worst, officials can be charged with taking their wives along on an official trip. But as long as it is not hampering their official duties, nobody has cause to complain,’’ an official said.
