The ongoing dispute over the residence of the Chief Minister of Delhi has taken a dramatic turn, with Atishi recently being asked to remove her belongings from the Civil Lines home. This development comes just two days after she moved into the property, which was previously occupied by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Public Works Department (PWD) officials have sealed the house, citing that Atishi was in possession of the keys but lacked an official allotment letter for the premises.
Atishi's move to the Civil Lines home has sparked a controversy, as it has been revealed that there is currently no designated official residence for the Chief Minister of Delhi.
Arvind Kejriwal had been living in the house since 2015, and it underwent extensive renovation in 2020-21, which raised questions regarding the associated costs. Following her arrival at the residence, Atishi's belongings were forcibly removed, a move the Chief Minister's Office has labelled as unprecedented in Indian political history.
They assert that this action reflects political motivations, suggesting that the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) is acting on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to allocate the residence to a prominent party leader.
Sources indicate that a team of PWD officials visited the Civil Lines home around mid-morning on Wednesday to reclaim the keys, which they obtained by the afternoon.
The Directorate of Vigilance has issued show-cause notices to three officials, including the special secretary to Kejriwal, for failing to surrender the keys despite clear instructions from the PWD.
The house has come under scrutiny over the past year due to allegations of financial irregularities and cost overruns in its renovation. The vigilance department has initiated an inquiry into these claims, leading to disciplinary action against approximately ten PWD officials. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also involved in investigating the matter.
In a notice issued on October 8, the vigilance department emphasised that the Civil Lines property has never been officially designated as the Chief Minister's residence. The notice pointed out that the ongoing investigations by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), CBI, and the Directorate of Vigilance prevent the finalisation of the property’s status.
Following Kejriwal's resignation, an additional secretary had proposed that the bungalow be allotted to Atishi, but complications arose over the key handover.
The vigilance department has stated that not returning the keys obstructs the physical possession of the building, thereby hindering the inventory process for items funded by the government.
The department also noted that the bungalow's construction lacked proper authorization, as no completion certificate had been issued by the PWD or any other regulatory body.
While officials from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Delhi government were not available for comment, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva raised concerns during a press conference about the urgency with which possession of the residence was being sought.
He criticised the former Chief Minister for allegedly constructing the residence, referred to as the "Sheesh Mahal," using public funds, and questioned why there was such a hurry to obtain possession after Kejriwal's resignation. Sachdeva called for a thorough inventory of the residence to ensure transparency and accountability.
In response to the controversy, AAP has stated that all necessary formalities had been completed regarding the inventory, accusing the BJP of creating unnecessary issues out of what they claim is a non-issue. The political implications of this situation are significant, reflecting the ongoing tensions between the AAP and the BJP in Delhi politics.
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