The Bahujan Samaj Party added a new twist to the Apex Court order of former Chief Minister in vacating government bungalows by claiming that 13-A, Mall Avenue bungalow was not allotted to Mayawati, but it housed `Kanshiram Yaadgar Vishramalaya’.
On Friday, BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra and leader of the House, lalji Verma handed over a letter from chief Mayawati to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, which said that there was confusion on the Estate department notice as she was allotted a bungalow at 6, Shastri Marg as former CM of UP.
Mayawati contended ion her letter that the bungalow at 13-A, Mall Avenue was allotted to house ‘Kanshiram Yaadgar Vishramalaya’ during the BSP regime.
Mishra and Verma apprised the Chief Minister about the position regarding the bungalow. They submitted that Mayawati occupied only two rooms in the Mall Avenue bungalow.
On May 21, soon after the Yogi government sent notices to former CMs asking them to vacate their bungalows, the BSP set up a board at the Mall Avenue bungalow with ‘Shri Kanshi Ram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal’ written on it.
Speaking to the media after meeting the CM, Mishra said that he handed over Mayawati’s letter to the CM detailing the situation.
“The 13-A, Mall Avenue is ‘Kanshiram Yaadgar Vishramalaya’ and it was also approved in a state cabinet meeting on January 13, 2011, during BSP regime. Mayawati occupied only two rooms at the Mall Avenue bungalow and when she vacates the premises, those rooms would also become part of the memorial,” Mishra said.
Mishra also claimed that Mayawati was allotted 6, Shastri Marg bungalow as former Chief Ministerial of UP, but there was no mention about it in the Estate department notice.
Mishra said that the BSP requested that she be allowed to stay in that small portion of Mall Avenue bungalow as the major part has a library, murals, statues and other articles related to the BSP founder.
The BSP general secretary said that if a notice was served to vacate the second bungalow, Mayawati would adhere to it.
Meanwhile, a senior Estate department official claimed that as per their knownlegde, 13-A, Mall Avenue bungalow was allotted to Mayawati in her capacity as a former CM. However we will look into our records to clear the air on the controversy.
Former Chief Ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son Akhilesh Yadav sought two years time to vacate their bungalows. Also ND Tiwari’s wife asked for a year for shifting to a new address. On the other hand, two former BJP Chief Ministers - Rajnath Singh and Kalyan Singh have started vacating their bungalows