'Can live with his mother or come to me...": Cong chief on Rahul Gandhi bungalow row

Rahul Gandhi Lok Sabha disqualification: Ex-Congress president has been living at 12, Tughlaq Lane in New Delhi.

Updated on: Mar 28, 2023, 11:37:04 IST

By HT News Desk

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Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Tuesday over demands Rahul Gandhi - disqualified from the Lok Sabha after a conviction in the 'Modi surname' criminal defamation case - vacate the Delhi bungalow allotted to him as a Member of Parliament.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi arrive at Belagavi along with party's general secretary KC Venugopal. (ANI)

"They will make all attempts to weaken him (Rahul Gandhi) but, if he vacates the bungalow, he will go live with his mother or he can come to me... I'll vacate one," Kharge said.

"I condemn the attitude of the government to scare, threaten and humiliate him. This isn't the way. Sometimes, we've been without a bungalow for three-four months. I received my bungalow after six months. People do this to humiliate others," Kharge was quoted by news agency ANI.

Rahul Gandhi loses bungalow privilege

The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Monday issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi to vacate the allotted bungalow - 12, Tughlaq Lane - 'for a maximum period of one month'. or upto April 22. "Allotment of aforesaid accommodation shall deem to have been cancelled w.e.f from 23.04.2003."

A senior official told news agency PTI Rahul Gandhi could seek an extended stay from the Housing Committee and that the request would be considered.

READ | Rahul Gandhi asked to vacate government bungalow, gets deadline

Congress reacts to Rahul Gandhi Lok Sabha notice

Senior leaders said the notice was not a surprise; Congress general secretary KC Venugopal told reporters 'Rahul Gandhi is not worried about the house' and that there were bigger issues at stake, and party spokesperson Salman Anees Soz said 'literally millions of Indians' would happily offer Rahul Gandhi a home.

Rahul Gandhi convicted in 'Modi surname' case

The bungalow privilege was revoked after Rahul Gandhi was convicted of criminal defamation by a court in prime minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat. The court found against Rahul Gandhi over his 'all thieves have Modi surname' comment at an election rally in 2019 in Karnataka.

He was given a two-year sentence but the court suspended that and gave him bail - on request from his legal team - so the former MP could appeal.

The conviction triggered a massive row between the opposition and the government; on Monday as many as 17 parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (which do not usually turn up for Congress-led meetings) united to protest Gandhi's disqualification.

READ | 'Black shirt' protest for Rahul Gandhi sees surprise Trinamool visit

BJP aims fresh attack at Rahul Gandhi

Earlier today union minister Smriti Irani ripped into Rahul Gandhi, declaring he had abused and accused prime minister Modi in Parliament.

READ | 'Rahul Gandhi's promise... to rip Modi's image apart', says Smriti Irani

"Rahul Gandhi in a magazine interview said that he will keep attacking PM Modi's image until he destroys it," Smriti Irani - who beat Rahul Gandhi in the last Lok Sabha election from his family stronghold of Amethi - said.

The minister also pointed out the bungalow in question did not actually belong to Rahul Gandhi; "… the house belongs to the common people," she declared.

With input from agencies

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HT News Desk
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