After the announcement of assembly polls, a high voltage political drama unfolded in Delhi as the showdown between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the "Sheesh Mahal" controversy. A group of AAP workers led by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj tried to reach the Prime Minister's official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, but were stopped by police en route. This was followed by an attempt to conduct a media tour of the Chief Minister's residence at 6 Flag Staff Road , Civil Lines which was also thwarted by the police.
In its turn, the BJP also took media to the AB 17 Mathura Road bungalow allotted to Chief Minister Atishi to show that she already had a government residence and sought to know why she was asking for a separate bungalow. Sachdeva charged, "The AAP leaders are doing drama and trying to divert attention from the Sheesh corruption and irregularities committed in the construction of Sheesh Mahal (6, Flagstaff Road, occupied by Arvind Kejriwal as chief minister). Why did they not think of showing the Sheesh Mahal earlier and now insist on a visit when the administration is bound by a model code of conduct?"
In a veiled attack on AAP leaders, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, addressing a press conference, said their conduct was also an example of "political etiquette and ethics" being demolished. This shows the writing on the wall is clear to them that the AAP is losing the Delhi assembly polls, he said.
Earlier, outside the Chief Minister's house, the AAP leaders engaged in a heated argument with the police and staged a dharna outside the 6 Flag Staff Road bungalow after being denied entry, which they had invited the media to tour with them in a bid to counter the BJP's "Sheesh Mahal" jibes. Police set up barricades and deployed personnel in front of the bungalow, preventing the AAP leaders from entering the premises.
The police cited lack of permission to allow entry, and Bharadwaj countered as to why a Minister and MP needed permission to enter the Chief Minister's residence. "I'm an MP, he is a minister, and you're stopping us? Under which law are you stopping us?" Singh is heard telling the police personnel. Singh and Bharadwaj were seen requesting officials to allow them inside. "Who has instructed you to stop us? I am a minister and I am here for an inspection. How can you stop me and on whose orders? Have you received directions from the Lieutenant Governor? He is the only authority above my position," Bharadwaj was heard telling an official whose directions they were being stopped on. A PWD official also reached the spot and requested Singh and Bharadwaj not to enter the premises.
They then moved to the PM's house, and when stopped, staged a sit-in near the Tughlak Road Police Station. After being denied entry at Lok Kalyan Marg, Bharadwaj said, "We came here to conclude this argument of 'tera ghar, mera ghar'. We said that the PM residence and CM residence should both be shown to the people. So, we came here."
The party leaders accused the BJP-led central government of running away from the challenged inspection of the PM residence, which they alleged had been renovated at an inordinate cost. "BJP's lie has been exposed before the entire nation today. They claimed that there is a mini bar, a swimming pool, and a commode made of gold at the former Chief Minister's residence. However, they did not allow us to enter and show the truth to the public. "Now, they are also preventing us from revealing the reality of the Prime Minister's residence, which has been built at a cost of 2,700 crore," Sanjay Singh said at the protest near the PM's residence. Asked if they had sought permission to visit the residence, Singh told reporters earlier, "Why should we need permission to enter the chief minister's residence?"
Addressing a press briefing earlier, Bharadwaj said, "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 added, "It should be noted that both these properties are government residences. They were built with taxpayers' money and came up during the Covid pandemic. If there are allegations of misappropriation of funds, both should be investigated."
In response, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva reached AB 17 Mathura Road bungalow allotted to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi. He accused the AAP of staging a drama at the former CM's bungalow while the model code of conduct was in force ahead of the Assembly polls.
"Why did AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj not visit the Sheesh Mahal earlier?" Sachdeva said. The "Raj Mahal" jibe is part of AAP's counter allegation that the prime minister leads a luxurious lifestyle.
At a press conference, Trivedi slammed the AAP leaders saying that both Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj trying to "forcibly" enter the premises was an example of "irresponsible, insane and anarchic behaviour". "Their conduct was also an example of "political etiquette and ethics" being demolished, Trivedi said. Kejriwal's 'Sheesh Mahal' has become a "monument of his extravagance" and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) cannot hide from this truth. "What AAP leaders did today was a glaring example of their irresponsible, insane and anarchic behaviour'. They tried to enter the (former CM's residence) forcibly," Trivedi told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here. "No matter how much they try, they cannot get away with the 'Sheesh Mahal', which has become a monument of Kejriwal's extravagance. They cannot get away with the truth that a museum of a variety of luxury items was set up in the 'Sheesh Mahal' with the money looted from the people of Delhi," he said.
Kejriwal vacated the 6, Flagstaff Road, bungalow last October. It has since been at the centre of a controversy over alleged costly fittings and other items. The BJP has made the "Sheesh Mahal" allegation a large part of its election campaign. Sachdeva has claimed that valuable items, including a "golden commode," were missing after the bungalow was vacated by Kejriwal.
A slugfest between AAP and BJP has broken out, and allegations and counter-allegations have intensified as the polling date for Delhi Assembly election approaches. BJP has leveled allegations of irregularities in the renovation of Delhi CM's residence. Dubbing the CM bungalow as "Sheesh Mahal," the BJP has made the issue its key poll plank in the run-up to elections.
