By SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL
It refers to news-items ‘Centre serves eviction notice to Congress to vacate its Delhi headquarter’ prominently highlighted in media on 19-20 February 2015 about Congress, the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, having been issued eviction-notices for vacating government-bungalows including party-headquarter at 24 Akbar Road (New Delhi) because the party lost entitlement to retain these after land was allotted to Congress some years ago. But an RTI response from Directorate of Estate confirms that no such eviction-notice was ever issued to Congress by BJP-led Central Government. It is significant that Congress lost entitlement to retain government-bungalows on 26.06 2013 and now these bungalows are on extended lease to Congress.
Firstly source in media breaking the wrong story should be exposed so as to be a deterrent for future for media for not putting unverified news-stories. Secondly it proves that all political parties are united for their mutual interest like retaining government-bungalows even after losing entitlement and getting land to build party-building for which even sufficient years are given to make concerned political-party building its own building.
Also since political parties are unanimously defying CIC-verdict dated 03.06.2013 for their being public-authority, all government-facilities including especially allotment of government-accommodations and plots to political parties must be abolished. Buildings on land already provided by governments to political parties should be taken over by respective governments in case of split in a political party. Divisions-after divisions in Congress-party left its one time headquarters at 7 Jantar-Mantar Road (New Delhi) in very bad condition. Rashtriya Janta Dal President even named building built on land provided by Union government in New Delhi after his wife, with building not used for years after its construction.
Union and state governments should ensure vacation of existing government-accommodations from political parties by giving reasonable time, say by end of year 2018 (before next Lok Sabha elections) failing which political parties not vacating government-accommodations be de-registered and disqualified from contesting elections. MoUD should also take cognizance of Supreme Court verdict dated 05.07.2013 in the matter ‘SD Bandi vs Divisional Traffic Officer, KSRTC & others’ (Civil Appeal number 4064 of 2004) which specifically desired against over-occupation of government-bungalows after one month of losing entitlement with a grace of maximum one more month.
