By IANS,
New Delhi : Organisations that invited her “voluntarily” paid her for business class tickets but she travelled economy and the money saved went to her NGO India Vision Foundation, Team Anna member and former cop Kiran Bedi said Thursday.
Responding to a news report that she charges inflated travel expenses from NGOs and other institutions that invite her for seminars or meetings, Bedi said that it was all for a cause.
Responding to a report in the Indian Express, Bedi told reporters: “The organisations voluntarily pay me for business class tickets but I duly inform them and save money for travels which are for good causes but cannot provide remuneration… there is no personal gain.”
Stating that it was “saving for a cause”, Bedi added: “I make a choice to save money so that it can be used for a good cause by not travelling in business class.”
She also tweeted: “Its very interesting to see how saving for CAUSES by choosing to travel economy makes a headline in a news paper!”
“Travelling economy in reasonable discomfort despite (higher) entitlement is to ensure that savings remain with the NGOs. No personal gain here,” said another tweet.
The daily claimed to be in possession of bills, invoices and copies of cheques which show that Bedi, who is entitled to a rebate on Air India tickets as a gallantry award winner, pays discounted fares but charges her host institutions the full fare.
She has also, at times, claimed business class fare while flying economy, the report said.
The report went on to cite government guidelines of February 2001 that all gallantry award winners are entitled to 75 percent discount on economy class tickets on Air India.