The BJP lashed out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after a government letter allotted former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's bungalow to Atishi, who was inducted into the Cabinet earlier this month.
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.
BJP's Amit Malviya said in a tweet that Sisodia was removed as the minister almost immediately after his arrest while Satyendar Jain who was arrested last year was allowed to continue in his post for 9 months.
"Kejriwal had promised to look after Manish Sisodia and his family. But he was removed as minister almost immediately, while Satyendra Jain was retained as minister for 9 months, when in jail. Now Sisodia has been asked to vacate the bungalow so that it can be allotted to Aatishi," Malviya tweeted.
BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, shared the allocation order by the PWD department and asked if the bungalow had been allotted to Atishi, where would Manish Sisodia's family go. "In just 15 days, Kejriwal has totally washed his hands of Sisodia, who has been in jail since February 26. Sisodia's Bungalow was allotted to Atishi Marlena. Where will his mother, wife and children go," Bagga asked.
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 came to power in Delhi.
The letter said only a 15-day retention period is permissible under the rules. Sources said the nameplate bearing Sisodia's name and cabinet rank had also been removed from the bungalow.
Meanwhile, AAP claimed that they were merely complying with the law and convention mandate that a minister, on resigning from his or her office, is bound to vacate his official residence.
"As far as the order regarding the former Deputy CM's residence is concerned, there is a law which says that a minister, on resigning his or her office, has to vacate his official or government residence within 15 days," the AAP said in a statement.
(With inputs from PTI)
