'Sonia wrote to PM thrice since UPA-II took power'

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has written three letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since the United Progressive Alliance-II came to power in May last year but none since the past six months.

Sonia's last letter to Singh was on November 25, 2009 in which she had requested him to address certain lacunae in the compensation offered to family of Hemant Karkare, an IPS officer who laid down his life battling Pakistani terrorists during 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

In another letter dated August 19, 2009, Sonia had requested Singh to continue on the international jury for Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, according to information provided to Naresh Saini from Hisar who had filed a Right to Information application, seeking information related to letters written by Sonia to the prime minister in the past two years.

On July 29 last year, Sonia, who is the chairperson of National Advisory Council, had requested Singh to serve another six-year term on the Board of Trustees of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

"I appreciate your contribution and support as a trustee during the past six years. Your continued cooperation on the Board would greatly help the Foundation in its work. I would be glad, therefore, if you would agree to serve for another term of six years," Sonia had written.

In a letter written on October 16, 2008, Sonia had requested Singh to consider a decision on proposal of Left Front Government in Kerala to take over the administration of the famous Padmanabha Swamy temple at Thiruvananthapuram.

"This matter had perhaps been raised with you by Shri Varma of the former royal family of Travancore when you had visited Kerala. I recall that Indiraji had in the past intervened in favour of the former royal family regarding the administration of this temple which has been traditionally with the former ruler of Travancore and his descendants.

"You may like to have this matter urgently looked into so that the traditional rights of administration are not disturbed," she said.

On October 7, 2008, Sonia had asked the prime minister to consider a contribution for the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

"The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has been established as a leading institution for promotion of ethnic and racial harmony, drawing from a rich experience of anti-apartheid struggle of South Africa. The foundation has the endorsement of Nelson Mandela.

"Ahmed Kathrada spent over 26 years in prison and is a recipient of several awards. His life-long sacrifice for the noble cause of securing freedom from colonialism and apartheid is universally acknowledged."

"Given India's special relationship with South Africa and our historic association with the anti-apartheid movement, I would like to suggest that the Government may consider a contribution of an appropriate amount for the Foundation," she had written.