AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj were stopped from entering the official residence of the Delhi Chief Minister at 6, Flagstaff Road. The leaders had invited media to tour the residence in response to the BJP’s "Sheesh Mahal" allegations.
Police set up barricades and deployed personnel at the entrance of the bungalow to prevent the AAP leaders from entering the premises. Singh and Bharadwaj were seen speaking to officials, questioning the need for permission to enter the chief minister's residence.
“We have not come here for a picnic. I am a minister and here for an inspection. How can you stop me? Have you received orders from the lieutenant governor?” Bharadwaj was heard questioning officials at the scene.
Earlier, Bharadwaj addressed the media, stating, "As promised, we will visit the chief minister’s official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road, at 11 am and try to find the golden commode, swimming pool, and mini bar that the BJP claims are present there."
He further emphasised, “These properties are government residences, built with taxpayers' money during the Covid pandemic. If there are allegations of misappropriation of funds, both should be investigated.”
AAP vs BJP: Sheesh Mahal vs Raj Mahal
The controversy surrounding the bungalow stems from allegations of its lavish renovation and expensive fittings, which have been branded by the BJP as a "Sheesh Mahal".
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva has claimed that valuable items, including a "golden commode", went missing after Arvind Kejriwal
vacated the residence.
In response, Singh and Bharadwaj had planned to take media on a tour of the Prime Minister's residence, dubbed "Raj Mahal" by AAP, accusing it of being built at a cost of 2,700 crore.
The "Raj Mahal" jibe is part of AAP’s counter-allegation that the prime minister leads a lavish lifestyle.
AAP's call for transparency
On Tuesday, AAP issued a challenge to the BJP, urging them to allow media access to the Prime Minister’s residence for a thorough inspection. AAP leaders reiterated their stance to expose what they claimed were discrepancies in both the chief minister’s and prime minister’s official bungalows.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia supported Singh and Bharadwaj, saying, “These bungalows were constructed with public money. Any mismanagement or misuse must be thoroughly investigated.”
Follow us
