Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sambit Patra condemned Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday for the alleged ‘scam’ of renovating the ‘Sheesh Mahal,’ the official residence of the former Chief Minister.
The BJP leader raised the issue of renovating the Sheesh Mahal in a press statement today, highlighting that a report released by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) reveals the cost of renovating the official residence of the former Delhi Chief Minister.
According to Patra, the report details that the original estimate for renovating the bungalow in 2020 was supposed to be Rs 7.62 crore, whereas when the tender was released, the cost rose up by around 13 pc to Rs 8.62 crore. However, he further revealed that after the completion of the project, the cost had risen by 342.31 pc, to Rs 33.66 crore.
“The remodelling was estimated at Rs 7.61 crore. But the tender came out for Rs 8.62 crore which means the tender cost was higher by 13.21 per cent…This work was completed in 2022 at a cost of Rs 33.66 crore. That is, the cost was 342.31 per cent more than the estimated amount. Such a big scam was committed for Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Sheeshmahal’,” BJP’s Sambit Patra said during his statement.
Quoting the report, Patra also mentioned that the CAG talks about lack of transparency in hiring construction consultants for the remodeling.
“As per the CAG report, on 17th March 2020, the PWD of Delhi gave a proposal that Arvind Kejriwal’s residence had to be remodeled. PWD proposed to demolish the building and add one storey. Surprisingly, in just one day, the proposal of the PWD was accepted,” he said.
He added further, “Kejriwal did not even advertise even once for consultants, then how did it happen? Through spot quotation. As the consultants were already standing in front of the gate.”
‘Sheesh Mahal,’ was the official residence of of Arvind Kejriwal during his tenure as the Delhi CM till earlier in 2024. Multiple BJP leaders have also raised the issue of the ‘Sheesh Mahal,’ ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also attacked Kejriwal over the Sheesh Mahal expenses, saying that during COVID when people in Delhi waited for oxygen and food, Kejriwal was busy building his palace.
Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla said, “This is a very good suggestion given by our promising candidate Pravesh Verma, “open Sheeshmahal to the public. When Covid was prevalent and the people of Delhi were waiting for oxygen and food, Arvind Kejriwal was busy building his palace. Now the CAG report has also come out.”
Congress leader Alka Lamba has also questioned the spending on the residence.
“The CM’s residence is temporary and to what extent is it fair to spend Rs 33 crore of the taxpayers’ money on it, as reflected by the CAG report… That money had to be spent on treating air pollution, water supplies, inflation… Atishi and Arvind Kejriwal should conduct a press conference to answer all of this,” Lamba said.
(With inputs from ANI)
