BJP slams AAP over 'illegal' Sheesh Mahal, says party gets rattled

Delhi BJP spokesperson claims AAP gets rattled over Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal' as it violates norms. An Assembly committee will inspect the bungalow, while AAP's Atishi challenges BJP to prove its claims of luxury with cameras.

BJP Slams AAP Over 'Sheesh Mahal'

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that whenever the issue of the illegally constructed “Sheesh Mahal” bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road, the residence of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is raised, the entire Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) becomes rattled and starts issuing defensive statements.

According to a press statement, the Delhi BJP Spokesperson said that “AAP” leaders are well aware that the Sheesh Mahal bungalow was constructed in the Civil Lines bungalow area in violation of the applicable provisions of the Delhi Master Plan, Delhi Municipal Corporation and Urban Arts Commission building norms, as well as the financial rules of the Delhi Public Works Department.

This is precisely why these “AAP” leaders become agitated and start making defensive statements whenever the Sheesh Mahal bungalow is mentioned, the press statement said. Kapoor said that “AAP” leaders, including Priyanka Kakkar, should answer if the Sheesh Mahal bungalow was not constructed in violation of the applicable building norms and government financial rules, why did Arvind Kejriwal never formally inaugurate it and declare it as the Chief Minister’s residence?

Assembly Committee to Inspect Bungalow

Meanwhile, the Delhi Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee will visit and inspect the bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road on September 14 (Monday). It was the official residence of Arvind Kejriwal when he was the Chief Minister. The BJP has publicised it as ‘Sheesh Mahal.’

Following the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report concerning the residence, the Assembly committee is moving ahead with further action in the matter. ANI has accessed documents related to the matter. According to the documents, “To examine the facts that have emerged in the CAG report, members of the Delhi Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee will visit 6 Flagstaff Road at 3 PM on September 14.”

AAP Hits Back, Challenges BJP

Amid news of the committee’s visit, the Aam Aadmi Party has launched an attack on the BJP. Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Atishi issued a statement saying that, “The BJP repeatedly lied about this Chief Minister’s residence. BJP leaders claimed that there was a luxurious swimming pool inside the Chief Minister’s residence, that gold and silver commodes had been installed there and that there was a very large bar.”

“I am extremely happy that the BJP has finally found the courage to show the truth. I openly challenge the BJP that when all the MLAs go to 6, Flagstaff Road, they should take media cameras along with them. Show the entire Delhi where that luxurious swimming pool is, where the gold and silver commodes are installed and where the large bar is located. The lies that have been spread for the past several years will be exposed before the entire Delhi on 14 September,” she added.

Atishi also challenged the BJP to conduct inspection with cameras at the Prime Minister’s residence should also be inspected in exactly the same manner.

CAG Report on Bungalow Expenditure

Earlier, on March 24, during the Budget Session, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled the CAG report in the Assembly regarding the expenditure incurred on the reconstruction of the bungalow at 6 Flagstaff Road.

At the time, CM Rekha Gupta and the entire government alleged that the expenditure on the residence of then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was several times higher than the estimated cost.

Speaker Vijendra Gupta had forwarded the CAG report to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for further action in the matter.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)