Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj proposed to open both the residences of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers to public for a day after BJP's demand for videography of the CM house in the national capital.
"Let's do this, let's open both the Prime Minister's residence and the Chief Minister's residence to the public for one day. Tell me on which day to open it?" Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a post on X on Monday. https://x.com/Saurabh_MLAgk/status/1843336509883331055 Earlier, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Virendra Sachdeva shared a letter written by the Public Works Department (PWD) to the Special Secretary of the Chief Minister's Office, Prashant Ranjan Jha. The letter stated that former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had not vacated the infamous Sheesh Mahal bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road though he has stepped down from the position. "Four days ago, we all witnessed the drama of Arvind Kejriwal leaving the bungalow, holding his parents' hands, but as per government rules, he still retains possession of the Sheesh Mahal to this day. Kejriwal's theatrics were merely an attempt to gain sympathy, with Sunita Kejriwal handing over the keys to an official, purely for camera display," Sachdeva stated. He also mentioned that the bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road is not a designated residence for the Chief Minister but a common pool bungalow under the Public Works Department's ownership. A vigilance department investigation is ongoing regarding its reconstruction and expansion, the BJP chief said. Sachdeva highlighted that, as per rules, the bungalow should have been vacated, with the keys handed over to Public Works Department Section Officer Vijay Kumar. However, the keys were only handed over for the cameras, and moments later, Special Secretary Prashant Ranjan Jha retrieved them. "As per protocol, whenever a government bungalow is vacated, an inventory is made, and the bungalow's condition is documented through videography. None of this was done in this instance," he said. "The Public Works Department should immediately take custody of the Sheeshmahal bungalow of the 6 flag staff with the help of the police and get it videographed,"he added. Earlier, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) issued a statement regarding shifting of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi to CM's residence and noted that the PWD has handed over the keys to CM Atishi on October 6 and the new Chief Minister is "in the process of moving in." As per the statement, the General Administration Department issued a no-dues certificate indicating that former CM Kejriwal paid all water, electricity and telephone bills associated with the bungalow. "The department has followed the due process and protocol while doing so. The General Administration Department (GAD) has issued a no-dues certificate indicating that former CM Arvind Kejriwal has paid all water, electricity and telephone bills associated with the CM Residence. Not only this, when he vacated the CM Residence, the Public Works Department (PWD) has officially issued a 'Vacation Report' to former CM Arvind Kejriwal," it stated. It was only after this that the keys of the CM's residence were handed over by the PWD to current CM Atishi, AAP stated. "A look at this report clearly indicates that the concerned Junior Engineer of PWD has done an inspection of the house, checked the inventory and only thereafter issued a vacation report. It is only after this that the keys of the CM Residence were handed over by the PWD to current CM Atishi. The BJP is shamelessly misleading the public over a non-issue," it added. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Kejriwal, who resigned as chief minister in September this year, vacated the Flagstaff Road bungalow in Civil Lines last Friday. Atishi was sworn in as the eighth chief minister of Delhi last month. (ANI)
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