No public funds used for Diwali celebrations by PM Modi and late PM Manmohan Singh, reveals RTI

Neither current Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the late former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh utilised government funds for Diwali celebrations during their respective tenures, a Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed.

Pune-based activist Prafful Sarda filed the RTI query in November 2024, seeking details about annual Diwali festival expenditures by both Dr Singh - who passed away on December 26, 2024 - and PM Modi during their time in office.

In the reply received on January 3, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) clarified that no public funds were spent on the personal expenses of either prime minister.

"Personal expenses of the



prime minister are not borne on government account. Prime Minister Office (PMO) doesn’t spend any money for PM’s personal expenses," stated PMO Under Secretary and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) Parvesh Kumar.

The development comes at a time when a controversy has erupted over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 7.5-carat diamond gift to US First Lady Jill Biden. The diamond was presented to her by PM Modi during his 2023 visit.

The gift sparked international debate after US authorities valued it at USD 20,000. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs suggested that the gem’s actual worth is far lower, estimating it at under Rs 2 lakh, as it is lab-grown.