Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The political battle over government bungalows in Bihar intensified on Tuesday after Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary declared that official residences are “not anyone’s Bapauti (personal property)” and should be vacated once a person leaves office, sharpening an already heated confrontation with the opposition over former chief minister Rabri Devi’s residence.
Drawing a contrast with former chief minister Nitish Kumar, Choudhary said the JD(U) leader had set an example by vacating the Chief Minister’s residence after stepping down from the post.
advertisement
“This is democracy, not monarchy. Government bungalows are not anyone’s personal property,” Choudhary said.
In a veiled attack on political rivals, he added that some people become excessively attached to government residences and even seek separate accommodations for different members of their families.
“The day my party and leaders tell me my role is over, I will leave the government bungalow within 24 hours and move to my private house,” he said.
RABRI DEVI DRAWS A LINE
Choudhary’s remarks came amid an escalating dispute over the official residence occupied by Rabri Devi.
The controversy gained fresh momentum after the former chief minister said she would not vacate the bungalow voluntarily despite directions from the Bihar government. She maintained that if the government wanted the residence back, it could remove her “forcibly”.
Her response triggered a fresh offensive from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, which accused the NDA government of selective action and political bias.
RJD TARGETS CHIEF MINISTER
Soon after Rabri Devi’s remarks, RJD released a detailed social media post attacking Choudhary and questioning the government’s handling of official residences.
The party alleged that after becoming Chief Minister, Choudhary expanded the 1 Anne Marg residence complex by merging neighbouring government bungalows, taking the total area to nearly 15 acres.
According to RJD, the Chief Minister of one of India’s poorest states now occupies one of the country’s largest and most luxurious official residences.
The opposition questioned whether a Chief Minister requires nearly 15 acres of land, equivalent to around 24 bighas or 480 kattas, for residential and official purposes.
QUESTIONS OVER ‘LOK SEVAK AWAS’
RJD also attacked the decision to rename the Chief Minister’s residence as “Lok Sevak Awas”.
The party alleged that the new name had been used to justify the expansion of the bungalow complex and sought an explanation for the changes made to the property.
NDA LEADERS IN RJD’S CROSSHAIRS
The opposition party further accused the NDA government of adopting double standards in allotting government residences.
RJD claimed that several ruling alliance leaders continue to occupy government bungalows despite not holding positions that would make them eligible for such accommodation.
Among those named by the party were MPs Devesh Chandra Thakur and Sanjay Jha, along with Upendra Kushwaha, former minister Raju Singh, former minister Krishna Kumar Mantu and former MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu.
The party also alleged that some MPs continue to stay in government accommodations in Patna despite already having official residences in Delhi.
Demanding greater transparency, RJD called on the Bihar government to publish the complete list of bungalow allotments and explain the rules under which the residences had been assigned.
‘POLITICAL VENDETTA’ CHARGE
RJD described the action against Rabri Devi as “political vendetta” and accused the NDA government of targeting opposition leaders while overlooking what it called unauthorised occupation of government residences by leaders from the ruling alliance.
The party also argued that both Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, as former chief ministers, should receive official accommodation under the same standards applied to other senior political leaders.
So far, the Bihar government has not issued a detailed response to the allegations raised by RJD.
With both sides digging in, the dispute over official residences has emerged as a major political flashpoint in Bihar and is likely to fuel further confrontation between the NDA and the opposition in the days ahead.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
