Govt pulled up for ''heavy'' spending on VIP treatment

Expressing displeasure over the ''heavy'' expenditure incurred on the treatment of ''very very important persons'' abroad, the Delhi high court on Friday granted four weeks time to the central government to file an affidavit detailing the expenses.

Issuing the directive, Justice C M Nayar asked Additional Solicitor General Abhisek Manu Singhvi to make available all relevant records in this connection.

The court was hearing a petition filed by H C Gupta alleging mass misuse of public money by the government on the VVIPs treatment. The case was adjourned to November 19.

The judge also asked Singhvi to state on what basis the beneficiaries were selected. ''Why are only VVIPs eligible for such facilities when the poor in this country suffer from the same sort of ailments?'' the court observed. ''Instead of spending so much of public money on politicians and VVIPs, why cannot the government buy the sophisticated equipment and make available the treatment in India.

''In this 50th year of country's Independence, why don't we learn from Mahatma Gandhi who preferred to live with the poor like a poor man.''

UNI