BJP leaders cry foul over house eviction notices, minister cites rules

The Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, which found itself stripped of power in August this year, has alleged vendetta in eviction notices issued to the leader of opposition in assembly and two former deputy chief ministers by the building construction department (BCD)

The Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, which found itself stripped of power in August this year, has alleged vendetta in eviction notices issued to the leader of opposition in assembly and two former deputy chief ministers by the building construction department (BCD).

Former Bihar deputy CM Renu Devi. (HT archive)

State BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal wondered why only BJP leaders, including former deputy CMs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha were being asked to vacate their residential premises even though those from other parties have been allowed to stay put in ministerial bungalows despite being removed from the cabinet.

BCD minister Ashok Chaudhary, however, said eviction notices were served as per stipulated norms. “Former deputy CMs have been allotted new houses of their choices, which are being renovated as per their instructions,” Chaudhary said.

The BCD had earlier sent notices to Prasad, Renu Devi and Sinha to immediately vacate the houses that were allotted to him in their previous capacities and slapped fines for the overstaying.

Renu Devi, who had been allotted 3 Stand Road as the deputy CM, has been asked to pay the penalty of ₹2.36 lakh for overstaying. The bungalow has now been allotted to environment minister and Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav.

A senior official of BCD, who is supervising renovation of houses allotted to BJP seniors, said they were given one month’s time to vacate the houses previously allotted to them. “As per norms, the department slaps penalty of up to 30 times the usual rent of the premises in case of overstay. The new norms have been in force for the past five years. The BCD minister, however, has the discretion to reconsider the penalty and grant relief for the three months after the standard one-month time,” said the official, pleading anonymity.

Tarkishore Prasad’s residence, 5 Deshratna Marg, has now been allotted to deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, while the latter’s 1 Polo Road bungalow has been allotted to Vijay Kumar Sinha in his capacity as the opposition leader.

Incumbent assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary is waiting to be shifted in the officially designated house, which is occupied by Sinha.

Opposition leader Sinha, meanwhile, attacked the Nitish Kumar dispensation for asking them (BJP leaders) to vacate the houses without making any alternative arrangements. “How can we leave the houses if the residences allotted to us were not vacated,” he said.

A senior RJD leader, who didn’t wish to be identified, sought to remind BJP how the state government, of which it was a part then, had moved the Supreme Court and threw out belongings of former ministers of his party after they failed to comply with eviction orders.