MPs Showered with Gold, Silver, and More on Official Tour

In his letter, Sudama Prasad highlighted what he viewed as an unsettling deviation from customary practices of hospitality during such official tours. “I understand that it is a tradition to welcome Members of Parliament and guests with gifts as a gesture of warmth and hospitality. Flowers, shawls, paintings, and a few memorabilia are generally given as welcome gifts. However, what has pained me are the gifts given by RITES and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited,” he wrote.

What he revealed next was even more concerning. “Yesterday, late in the night, RITES and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited people visited my room and presented me with two bags of memorabilia. As I was tired from my day’s work, I didn’t immediately look into what was given to me. Later in the night, I discovered a 1-gram gold coin and a 100-gram silver block had been given to me by RITES and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, respectively. This, I already returned,” he stated.

Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES), a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, was established in 1974. RITES offers a wide range of services, from concept to commissioning, covering various aspects of transport infrastructure and related technologies. Its market capitalisation places it among the top 500 listed companies in India. 

Similarly, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is another major player in the railway sector, also operating as a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways. Incorporated in 2003, RVNL was created with the primary goals of raising extra-budgetary resources and fast-tracking the creation and augmentation of rail infrastructure.

The timing and nature of the gifts presented to MPs during the study tour raise concerns when considered alongside the tour’s official mandate. The focus of the study tour—examining the status and financing of various expansion projects, public facilities at railway stations, onboard services, and the role of PSUs in the growth of Indian Railways—directly overlaps with the interests of RITES and RVNL. Both companies are heavily involved in these very areas, with RITES overseeing transport infrastructure projects and RVNL managing the development and modernisation of railway capacity.

Given this, could the expensive gifts from these organisations indicate a potential conflict of interest? By offering lavish gifts to Members of Parliament who are in a position to influence decisions related to railway projects and funding, might these organisations have been attempting to secure favour or sway future decisions? Does this raise concerns about external influence over parliamentary proceedings, and what does it say about the integrity of both the MPs involved and the public institutions responsible for overseeing such ventures?

Not Just One MP—Many Were Offered Gifts

When The Probe spoke with Sudama Prasad, we learned that the details in his letter to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Railways, dated November 2, 2024, only scratched the surface of what transpired during the study tour. In fact, after submitting the letter, Prasad received a slew of additional gifts as he proceeded on to complete his tour. 

Prasad recounted, “I returned the gift to CM Ramesh and also wrote a letter to him. He asked me why I was giving the gift to him, as he had not given the gifts to me. I told him it was not ethical to accept such gifts. He kept it on the table. The railway department official was there, and I told him to take it.” 

As the tour continued, the gifts kept pouring in. “In Tirupati, representatives from the Railway Land Development Authority presented me with a 50-gram silver gift. A senior official from Railtel Corporation of India offered me an ATM card loaded with cash and invited me to use it for any purchases. But I returned it right there,” Prasad stated. 

He also described receiving a 40-gram silver coin from NBCC, which he promptly returned, along with a disturbing discovery in his official files: a railway ministry file contained an ATM card loaded with cash and prepaid shopping coupons. “I have returned everything,” Prasad insisted.

What was even more concerning was Prasad’s revelation that he wasn’t alone in receiving such gifts. Many Members of Parliament on the study tour were similarly presented with gifts, though Prasad admitted he was unaware of how the others handled the situation. 

“The common man and the poor people in the country are stuffed into trains like animals, traveling without any facilities. To sell bottled water, they are eliminating the free tap water system at railway stations. The railway toilets at stations are horrible, even inside the trains. Instead of improving public facilities, they are using public money to buy expensive gifts for MPs. These gifting organisations have a direct interest in the railways and they are all government organisations,” stated Prasad.

“Don’t Ask Me Questions About Gifts Over the Phone”

It was revealed that the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Railways, CM Ramesh, was accompanying the Members of Parliament on the study tour, and, interestingly, we were informed that Ramesh himself had been offered gifts. 

When The Probe reached out to Ramesh for clarification about Sudama Prasad’s letter, his response was less than forthcoming. “Whatever happened in the committee meeting, we should not reveal in the press,” he stated. Pressed for further information, such as the dates of the study tour, Ramesh insisted, “I am not able to tell you this. We should not discuss. It is our rule.” When asked directly if he had also received gifts, his response was telling: “Don’t ask me questions about gifts over the phone.”

This level of secrecy raises serious questions. Why the reluctance to discuss a study tour organised by the Ministry of Railways, especially when the Ministry itself has publicly posted the tour dates, participant names, and the agenda on its official website? If the information is already accessible to the public, why is the Chairperson of the Standing Committee so hesitant to speak about even the basic details, such as the dates of the tour? And more troubling still, why did he refuse to address whether he had received gifts, suggesting an unwillingness to discuss it at all?

Determined to dig deeper, we decided to reach out to other Members of Parliament who were part of the tour to find out if they too had been presented with gifts—and to understand their stance on the matter.

“I Took the Gifts, Why Should I Return Them?”

When The Probe contacted Kaushalendra Kumar, a Janata Dal (United) MP from Nalanda, Bihar, his unapologetic stance on the matter was striking. “No. Why should I return the gifts? I haven’t returned them,” he admitted without hesitation. 

Kumar confirmed that he had accepted the gold and silver, dismissing their significance. “It is not even that heavy. It was very light. Why should I return them? There is a tradition in this country that gifts are given to welcome MPs. I don’t think this is a big deal. Some people welcome us with flowers, shawls, and some only with water. The gold is just called gold, but I don’t think it would be worth much money. I didn’t even check how much money was there in the ATM, and the coupon was given to buy some clothes and all. This is a non-issue,” he stated dismissively.

In stark contrast, Subhashish Khuntia, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Biju Janata Dal, firmly opposed the practice. While he admitted to participating in the study tour, he denied receiving any gifts. “No one will gift me because I am new; therefore, I didn’t get any. I think they must have given it to Sudama Prasad and others who were senior people,” he remarked. However, Khuntia was unequivocal in condemning the practice. “When we go on a study tour, it is a government tour, and the Committee is supposed to find the lacunae in the functioning of the railways and solve issues. It is wrong for such gifts to be given, and for Members of Parliament to accept such gifts is also wrong.”

Congress MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal from Barmer, Rajasthan, confirmed that he, too, had received gifts during the study tour. However, Beniwal’s admission came with a surprising twist—he claimed he had not opened the gift packets and was unaware of their contents. “I don’t know what I received, but if I see that such things are there, then I can return them,” he told The Probe.

When pressed further on whether he would address the issue before the MPs during the next meeting of the Standing Committee, Beniwal stated, “Yes, why not”. 

Sudama Prasad also told The Probe that during the three-day study tour from Bengaluru to Tirupati and Hyderabad, MPs were lodged in five-star hotels—a practice he criticised both publicly and in his letter to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Railways. In the letter, Prasad urged the Chairperson to direct the Indian Railways to make arrangements for “normal and not extravagant accommodation” during official tours, emphasising the need for austerity in public spending.

This indulgence, juxtaposed with the deteriorating image of the Indian Railways, raises major concerns. At a time when the Railways is grappling with operational crises, including frequent accidents and inadequate passenger amenities, such ostentatious behaviour by MPs tasked with overseeing its accountability sends the wrong message. These officials, entrusted with safeguarding the interests of the common man, appear instead to be indulging in luxury while receiving lavish gifts from the very entities they are expected to monitor. The disconnect between the plight of ordinary passengers—crammed into overcrowded trains and forced to endure subpar facilities—and the extravagance displayed by their elected representatives calls for serious introspection. The Standing Committee on Railways, meant to prioritise public welfare and improve railway operations, risks eroding its credibility in the eyes of the people.

(With additional inputs from Niraj Pandey)