Is Prez whistleblower being targeted, persuaded to retreat?

Is Lt Colonel (retired) Suresh Patil, who has raised the issue that the President may be getting a post retirement home in violation of existing laws, being persuaded to back down? Patil, who had filed an RTI application which revealed that the President Pratibha Patil was getting a larger than legal post-retirement home on defence property in Pune, was reportedly asked by an associate of Tripura governor and Congress leader DY Patil to “tone down”  his protest. [caption id=“attachment_285432” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The President has been accused of getting a property larger than legally permitted for her post-retirement home. Reuters”]  [/caption] A report in The Pioneer today stated that Patil had spoken with the former army official and said he would meet him during a visit to Pune but subsequently an associate met with Lt Colonel (retired) Joshi at his residence.

After exchanging pleasantries  with me and my colleagues, Kotkar (Patil’s associate) took me aside and said he was carrying a message from DY Patil, saying that I should tone down my agitation against the defence land allotment made to the President. I told him very clearly that there was no way I would withdraw the agitation, since it is a major public issue and so many people are already involved in it

The newspaper was unable to get a quote from the governor on the report. However, the former army official has found himself in the crosshairs of authorities following his campaign last week as well. According to an Indian Express report, defence estate authorities who inspected his house had said that there were seven illegal structures on the property. Unsurprisingly, Patil has alleged that he was being victimised by authorities. However, Defence Estates Officer GS Rajeswaran, DEO, Pune Circle justified the action saying, “The inspection was carried out following a letter to us by higher authorities. The fact that action has been taken now is just a coincidence as the inspection letter was issued in December last year." The government is accused of building a 4,500 sq feet bungalow on 261,000 sq feet of land in the Khadki Cantonment of Pune for which two defence bungalows have been pulled down to make room for President Pratibha Patil’s post-retirement home. According to the law, she is entitled to get a 2,000 sq feet bungalow. The President’s office has denied any illegal activity in building the post-retirement home and said the ownership of the land and house will continue to remain with the government. “Therefore there is no substance in the allegation of personal gains,” Archana Datta, OSD to the president, said ealier.