After the CBI had arrested former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam case, the Delhi government has allotted his official bungalow to Atishi, who has been inducted in the cabinet early this month.
The Delhi government has asked Sisodia to vacate the bungalow at AB Mathura Road on or before March 21. The letter also asked Atishi to give her acceptance within eight days of the issuance of the letter. Sources said the nameplate bearing Sisodia's name and cabinet rank had also been removed from the bungalow.
Sisodia had been staying at the AB-17 bungalow on Mathura Road, which was earlier with former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. The bungalow was allotted to Sisodia in 2015, when the AAP government came to power in Delhi.
"It is a routine exercise. Since Sisodia had resigned, his bungalow will be reallotted to Atishi," said an official. The letter said only 15 days retention period is permissible under the relevant rules.
The BJP questioned the urgency to get Sisodia's bungalow vacated."Why is Kejriwal in such a tearing hurry to get rid of Sisodia? What happened to his promise to take care of Sisodia's family after his arrest," Delhi BJP media cell head Harish Khurana said.
Meanwhile, the AAP has lashed out at the Delhi LG for leaking the information to media. “Delhi is insulting the dignity of a constitutional office by leaking news to the media like this. And this coming from a person whose video of assaulting a woman activist like a street thug has been seen by the whole country is rather ironic. As far as the order regarding the former Deputy CM's residence is concerned, it is the law that a minister upon resigning from his/her office, is bound to vacate the government residence occupied by them within 15 days. This order is nothing but a compliance of the law. The AAP unequivocally reaffirms that not only CM Arvind Kejriwal but the whole country stands behind Sisodia. The AAP has been running a signature campaign across Delhi and the country,” the AAP said in a statement.
