New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received 65 gifts worth Rs 3.11 lakh during his foreign visits in the past ten months since assuming charge last year, an RTI query revealed.
On February 19, Modi received gold and diamond studded cufflinks, valued at Rs 75,000, by a host country. The PM was also twice given tea-sets and books as gifts. He also was presented a statue of Lord Buddha, whose messages he has invoked in several of his speeches abroad, said Foreign Ministry in response to an RTI query. The gift items received by the prime minister also included porcelain dishes, replica of temples, paintings, carpets, photographs, and ornaments among others.
The government also said that former PM Manmohan Singh had from 2010 to June 2013 received gifts worth Rs 83.72 lakh during foreign tours. In 2010 he was presented with a sword worth Rs 20.91 lakh, besides ornaments valued at Rs 48.93 lakh. Table-clock, pen, prayer mat, a statue of Lord Pashupatinath, a box made of gold are among other gifts Singh received during the UPA tenure.
The Foreign Ministry provided information on the gifts received on foreign tours by the President, the Vice President, Members of Parliaments, and government officials during the period between years 2010 to June 2013.
While details for period between July 2013 to March 2015 has been mentioned on the ministry's website, it said. From the year 2010 to June 2013, UPA chairman and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had received gifts worth 3.84 lakh during foreign tours, which included bracelets worth Rs two lakh. Besides, she was presented with pashmina shawl, rugs, purse, tea sets, a photo frame made of silver among others.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has received gifts worth Rs 4.83 lakh, which includes many sarees. Besides, ornaments, paintings, dinner-sets, wrist watch, pen and silk scarfs, china dishes, photo frame, a brass statue of Naag devi, a Buddha idol made of bronze, a metal statue of the Dragon, tablet computer, candle-stand were also presented to her during official tours. Between 2010-2013 as Leader of Opposition Swaraj had received gifts worth nearly Rs two lakh while the Congress government was in power.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi from June 2014 to March 2015 has received two gifts during foreign tours. One of it was valued at Rs 3,000 while for the other commercial value could not be pegged. On February 10 this year Gandhi got two table-clocks whose value could not be ascertained while on December 15 last year she received jewellery worth Rs 3,000. During the same period, Vice President Hamid Ansari received gifts worth Rs 13,800 while abroad.
The reply also said that gifts valuing more than Rs five thousand received by government officials representing India abroad are deposited to the treasury of Foreign Ministry.
