Delhi ministers go abroad less: Jain

NEW DELHI: Hitting out at lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung for seeking the details of foreign tours of AAP ministers, home minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday

NEW DELHI: Hitting out at lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung for seeking the details of foreign tours of AAP ministers, home minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday such visits were comparatively fewer than counterparts in other states.

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The minister accused the L-G’s move to form the three-member panel to review files as having an “agenda”.

“Has he (Jung) also asked for details of foreign tours of prime minister? Since when has he started checking ministers’ foreign tours?” he asked.

“Foreign tours are undertaken by AAP ministers for only official purposes after approval. We have travelled very less comparatively in the entire country.”

“If we go abroad for personal purposes, we spend our money,” said Jain, who returned to the capital on Tuesday, after a four-day tour to the Vatican.

Jain went to Vatican City with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to attend Mother Terasa’s canonisation.

The L-G’s office had directed the general administration department of the Delhi government to provide details of all foreign tours undertaken by AAP ministers, their personal staff and other officials in the last 18 months.

Besides the duration of the stay and the expenditure incurred on foreign trips, the L-G’s office also sought details of the “purpose” of these visits.

Government officials said that deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Jain travelled abroad four times each on government expenditure. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, along with Jain, went to Sweden on a five day-knowledge trip.

Officials, however, clarified that sacked minister Sandeep Kumar had travelled to the US with his family on a private visit.