Neither the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the late former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh spent any government money on Diwali celebrations during their tenure, says the Right to Information (RTI) response.
Pune-based activist Prafful Sarda filed an RTI query in November 2024, seeking information on the annual expenditure on Diwali celebrations by both Dr Singh – who died on December 26, 2024 – and PM Modi during their tenure.
In a response received on January 3, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) clarified that no public money was used for the personal expenses of another prime minister.
“The personal expenses of the prime minister are not paid from the government account. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) does not spend any money on the personal expenses of the Prime Minister,” said PMO Under Secretary and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) Parvesh Kumar.
This comes amid controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift of a 7.5 carat diamond to US first lady Jill Biden. The diamond was presented to him by Prime Minister Modi during his visit in 2023.
The gift sparked international debate after US authorities valued it at USD 20,000. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has suggested that the actual value of the gem is much lower, estimating it at less than Rs 2 lakh, as it is grown in a lab.