An inventory list by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Chief Minister residence after the AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal left it reveals that he had televisions worth more than Rs 70 lakhs, beds worth more than Rs 10 lakhs and fifty air conditioner in his residence contrary to his claims of being an ‘aam aadmi’.
The official data shows that the bungalow built on approximately 21,000 sq ft had eight bedrooms, three meeting rooms, two kitchen, two drawing room, 12 toilets and one dining room. Wooden door and glass doors cost more than Rs 10 lakhs and sanitary installations cost about Rs 20 lakhs, the data shows. It also revealed that there were two foot massagers. The four bed in his cost Rs 13,19,342 and 11 TVs costing Rs 72,81,424.
Attacking the AAP chief, the BJP on Friday claimed that Kejriwal has become "the biggest symbol of VVIP culture" as it slammed the AAP convenor citing high costs of appliances and items, including toilet seats worth around Rs 12 crore, used in his residence when he was at the helm of the government.
At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia dredged up a 2013 social media post of Kejriwal, an anti-corruption activist who had taken the political plunge in 2012, in which he had lashed out at the then chief minister Sheila Dikshit saying she had 10 ACs, including in bathrooms.
He noted that Kejriwal had then accused her of corruption and questioned how can a chief minister live in such comfort when over 40 per cent of Delhi's population lived in jhuggis. He added that the AAP leader has since deleted the post.
Citing official documents after Kejriwal quit as chief minister and left his official residence, the BJP leader said the bungalow had 21,000 sq ft built up area and 50 ACs in addition to a 250-tonne air conditioning plant. “It had toilet seats costing 12 crore and a TV was worth over Rs 28.91 lakh,” he claimed.
Slamming Kejriwal, he asked, “If Dikshit was wrong and corrupt for having 10 ACs, then how will Kejriwal describe this luxury.” He accused him of burying the political ideology that brought him to power.
"He has become the biggest symbol of VVIP culture. Arvind Kejriwal is the most corrupt politician India has seen. If he has moral courage, then he should answer," he said, claiming that people will finish off Kejriwal politically.
“He was a leader who had sworn in his children's name that he would never use big bungalows like conventional politicians,” Bhatia said.