NEW DELHI: Known to reap controversies by the bushel, India's first woman president Pratibha Patil is now in the eye of yet another storm. An association of retired soldiers have demanded an explanation as to why prime urban land admeasuring five acres in Pune, a historic city in the state of Maharashtra is being pruned up as a post retirement home for Patil, who demits office in a couple of months. Suresh Patil, a former colonel who heads the ‘Justice to Jawans' nongovernment organization has also questioned the legality of demolishing two colonial bungalows of the British era, to make way for a 4,500 sq ft retirement home for the president, bang in the middle of a defense cantonment at Khirkeein Pune. While the authorities, including the Indian army are mum on the issue, the President's House has issued a clarification on the issue. “The question of transfer of land to any individual does notarize,” a spokesperson of the Rashtrapati said, adding that land will not be transferred from the defense to the president, but that the post retirement house will only remain with the President till her life time, before being reverted back to the defense establishment. Patil has earlier been in controversy earlier for high spending on her foreign trips, ordering a police enquiry after photographers snapped her at a Goa beach two years back. Her kin have been accused of land grabbing, financial frauds, even a murder accusation during Patil's tenure as president.
