Priyanka Gandhi sends legal notice to TOI over rent report

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday sent a legal notice to The Times of India after the daily published reports claiming that she was paying rent lower than the market rate for her bungalow in Lutyens Delhi.

The report based on an RTI reply claimed that on May 7, 2002, Priyanka wrote to the government and said that rent of Rs 53,421 was "too high" an amount and "beyond her paying capacity". Currently, she pays Rs 31,300 for accommodation in Type VI government house at 35, Lodhi Estate.According to The Times of India report, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's daughter had got the rent of her bungalow reduced from Rs 53,421 to Rs 8,888 in 2002 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime miister. She had then claimed that it was beyond her capacity to pay.It also said that in 2002, she bargained with the Vajpayee government to reduce rent of her house from 54000 rupees to 8,888 rupees.Priyanka's office claims the rate was fixed by the government.

Priyanka also said she rented a private residence for her family, but it was SPG which cited security concerns and insisted she stayed in government accommodation.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's office on Saturday clarified the rent for her house was fixed by the government, after reports said she was paying low rent for her bungalow in Lutyens Delhi'.

The statement said that Priyanka is an SPG protectee, that she rented private accommodation for her residence and paid advance rent In December 1996.