Gandhi Smriti director Mani Mala spent over Rs 10.30 lakh on sprucing up home

NEW DELHI: Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS) ran up a bill of over Rs 1.50 crore on official residences and buildings, splurging on accessories like steam bath, LED TV and modular kitchen for its director. Of the Rs 1.58 crore spent over four years, GSDS spent over Rs 8 lakh between 2012 and 2013 on furnishings and fittings in director Mani Mala's residence.

GSDS is an autonomous organization established in 1984 to preserve and spread Mahatma Gandhi's teachings and message. It includes two campuses, Gandhi Smriti, housed in the Old Birla House on 5, Tees January Marg, where Gandhi was shot dead on January 30, 1948. The second campus is adjacent to the Mahatma Gandhi Samadhi at Rajghat. The sprawling 36 acre campus came into existence in 1969 to mark Gandhi's centenary.

Information accessed through RTI in response to queries by activist S C Agrawal shows that GSDS spent Rs 10.32 lakh on director Mani Mala's residence between 2010 and 2014. This included Rs 2 lakh for a modular kitchen, Rs 3.13 lakh for a steam bath, Rs 74,000 for a two-ton split air conditioner and Rs 46,000 for an LED TV. Other expenses included microwave, HP mini motor, washing machine, two geysers and cordless phone among 24 items.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) said it spent Rs 1.58 crore since 2011 in civil work. The department spent Rs 39.05 lakh in 2011-2012, Rs 63.65 lakh in 2012-2013, Rs 22.88 lakh in 2013-2014 and Rs 32.58 lakh in 2014.

Reacting to the details of expenditure, Agrawal said the director had made a mockery of the austerity practiced by Gandhi in his lifetime by using public money in this manner.

The information was made public only after an order by the Central Information Commission in August. GSDS had pleaded shortage of manpower for not having been able to compile the information sought but assured the commission that it would be given in 30 days.