Bungalow number 11-A on Balwant Rai Mehta Lane in Lutyens’ Delhi resembles a ravaged structure. Forced to leave the official accommodation, former parliamentarian from Bihar Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, chose to take away the doors and windows of the house besides razing the “illegal” structure erected to house people coming to meet him from his constituency.
Yadav’s OSD Ajay Kumar alleged that the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) dismantled the structure, but the latter said the bungalow is still with the former MP, who has not handed over it to the Estate Department despite repeated reminders.
Electrical equipment, floor tiles, lawns, paint, bathrooms, windows, brickwork, temporary structures and the walls were damaged. The office located at the entry point of the gate was also found damaged along with doors and windows. The furniture was also found in ruined condition.
The bungalow was used by the people coming from his constituency Madhepura for various works in Delhi. Yadav was running “Subhash Chandra Bose Sewa Ashram” from his residence. The sewa ashram had capacity to accommodate 400 people at a time. He had put a banner carrying a slogan “Logon ka ghar sabka ghar”.
Yadav is currently in Bihar to help flood-hit victims in Patna. According to Yadav’s OSD, bungalow will be handed over to CPWD after his arrival. On the other hand, officials of the CPWD said that they have already given a report to the Lok Sabha Secretariat about the bungalow’s condition.
Yadav is currently the president of Jan Adhikar Party. He had lost the Lok Sabha elections in May. His wife Ranjeeta Ranjan, who was allotted bungalow at 7 Balwant Rai Mehta Lane, too lost Lok Sabha polls. She had also been given notices to vacate her accommodation.
The Estate Department under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has recently forcefully evicted three other ex-MPs while giving a 3-day notice to three others to vacate their Government accommodations. With many ex-MPs yet to vacate their accommodation, newly elected MPs were forced to stay in various State bhavans or guests houses.
The Ministry has also served notices on the squatters is in he process to forcefully evict the occupants from bungalow or flat number 185 at South Avenue; flat 185 at North Avenue and 11 Mahadev Road.
According to the Ministry, the Estate Department has started forceful eviction from the MPs bungalow who fail to vacate it despite the several notices. It has vacated flats number 113, 108/110 and 124 and 126 at North Avenue. BJP MP Hari Manjhi was allotted flat at 124-126 at North Avenue in 2009. He was denied ticket in 2019. Similarly, flat/bungalow at 113 and 108-110 was allotted as guest accommodations and guests have not vacated it.