The lok Sabha on Monday passed a Bill seeking to speed-up the eviction of unauthorised persons occupying public premises amid concerns that the provisions could be used by the Government to harass Members of Parliament.
Piloting the Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2014, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that he would soon call a meeting of mayors to effectively deal with the problem of unauthorised occupation of public property.
As regards the Bill, the Minster said that he had no hesitation in accepting that it is a Congress Bill, but he was going ahead with it as he has the “political will”. He said the Bill was in public interest and would help the Government in effectively dealing with the problem of unauthorised occupants effectively. The Bill was later passed by the voice vote.
The Bill redefines public premises to include companies in which at least 51 per cent of the paid-up share capital is held by the Central and State Governments, and which carries on the business of metro railway.
The debate on the Bill saw several Opposition MPs expressing their anger on the recent evictions by the Urban Development Ministry. “In his (Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu’s) hurry to act as a disciplinarian, he should not act against MPs. We are not beggars,” said TMC leader Saugata Roy.
Roy, who served as Minister of State for Urban Development in the previous UPA Government, has been asked to vacate an official bungalow allotted to him as a Minister. He is now entitled for a smaller accommodation given to an MP. Though he ceased to be a Minister over two years back, the Trinamool member has been staying in the ministerial bungalow and still wants to retain it.
Responding to this, Naidu said he had “no animosity or personal vendetta” but he has to do “this painful duty” as he has to create accommodation for several Ministers who are still staying in hotels with Government bearing the cost.
Naidu said, Roy had raked up a personal issue. He said he could not comment on why the Estates Department “slept” for two years “as I am not responsible”. He said after he assumed charge as Urban Development Minister, “I told the department that the accommodation should be decided on the basis of merit. There are separate categories of houses for Ministers and members.
“I personally never felt happy evicting but I cannot go by personal liking. Some Ministers are not getting the accommodation they are entitled to and they are staying in guest houses and Ashoka Hotel.
The Government has to bear the cost of Ashoka Hotel. There is no animosity or personal vendetta involved in eviction, but I have to do this painful duty,” said Naidu.