Is President's Rs 6 cr car meant for Batman, asks Varun Gandhi

NEW DELHI: BJP today took potshots at President Pratibha Patil for getting a Rs 6 crore armoured Mercedes car for her use, saying it appears to have been made for superhero Batman, and has been procured at a time when the poverty line is being fixed at a mere Rs 32 per day.

"Colossal extravagance of spending 6 Cr on President's car laughable, if not tragic, at a time when aam aadmi expected to live on Rs 32 a day," BJP national secretary Varun Gandhi said on Twitter today.

"Car can run on flat tyres, has self-sealing fuel tank. Fire extinguishing system is bomb proof.. Is this for Pratibha Patil or Batman?" he added.

Patil has been given a Mercedes Benz armoured car whose unique features provide security from military-standard small-arms projectiles and fragments from hand grenades and other explosives.

The government has spent around Rs 6 crore for the car, according to sources.

The specially built car has space for meetings and also boasts of the latest communications and entertainment systems.

A normal version of the car was displayed at the 2010 Auto Expo. Patil's car will have a special air intake system which can circulate fresh air even if there are poisonous gases around.