Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary on Tuesday faced some embarrassing moments as officials from the Urban Development Ministry disconnected water and power supply as well as removed furniture and his other belongings from his Type-8 Government bungalow alleging that he did not qualify for the said accommodation.
Chowdhary is the third Congress leader after Ambika Soni and Kumari Selja who has been asked to vacate the government accommodation for which they were not entitled. Soni and Selja last year had to vacate the Type-8 bungalow following a High Court order.
On his part, Chowdhary alleged that he has been victimised for speaking against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His contention was that many leaders have been allotted type-8 bungalows without being qualified for the same.
The MP had requested a 10-day time period to vacate the bungalow. He has been assigned a Type-7 bungalow and the accommodation is getting ready for his residence, he said.
However, authorities from the Directorate of Estate under the Ministry disconnected water and power supply to the ministerial bungalow at 14, New Moti Bagh and started eviction proceedings against the former UPA Minister.
The lok Sabha MP from Murshidabad attempted to get the eviction stayed by the Delhi High Court which did not interfere with the disconnection of utilities and ordered status quo till Wednesday morning when it will hear the matter.
According to the Directorate of Estates, the MP has been allotted another house on Humayun Road and given sufficient time to vacate the ministerial bungalow which it said he was not entitled to. But Chowdhury did not vacate despite several reminders in the past, they said.
Asked why he has not moved to the new house allotted to him, the MP said it has to be made livable with light and electricity connection and other facilities.
“I am asking them to make a joint inspection of the house so that whatever is required can be done,” he said.
Chowdhury, who was Minister of State for Railways in UPA government, has been allotted the house at Humayun Road more than one year ago, after he became the lok Sabha MP from Murshidabad in 2014.
In the High Court, Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath refused to interfere in the proceedings.
“If water and electricity have been disconnected, let it be. We will keep it as it is. We are not passing any interim order (on staying eviction). We will maintain status quo till tomorrow morning,” they said.