Congress leader Udit Raj claims forcible eviction out of Delhi bungalow: 'Punished for being a Dalit’

There was no immediate response from the government regarding the eviction.

Congress leader and former MP Udit Raj on Friday alleged that authorities forcibly evicted his family out of their Pandara Park bungalow in New Delhi, despite the matter being sub-judice.

Residence of Congress leader and former MP Udit Raj, which is allotted in the name of his wife Seema Raj, an IRS officer, being vacated by the Directorate of Estates. (PTI)

The bungalow is allotted to the former MP's wife, Seema Raj, a retired IRS officer, who said she had paid the license fee till May 31 this year.There has been no official response from the government regarding the eviction as of the time of writing this report.

Udit Raj's wife explains matter

Reacting to the family's eviction from the bungalow, Udit Raj's wife Seema explained that superannuation retirement was on November 30, and claimed that she could've retained the accomodation for six more months.

“I had even paid the license fee. My father was very ill and recently passed away. I repeatedly wrote to the Directorate of Estates to give some time to arrange for another accommodation... I even said to pay the market rent after May 30...,” Seema was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

She also said that she had asked for time till November-end or early December to wind up her affairs and find another place. She further said that after a court appeal in September, the matter was listed for hearing on October 28, “The authorities came deliberately on a day when the courts are not open,” she added.

'Harassment for being Dalit'

Meanwhile, Udit Raj also crticised the eviction, alleging that the matter was sub-judice. "What difference would three or four more days make?”, he asked further adding that the “harassment” was a “punishment” for being Dalit and poor people's voice.

He alleged that the action was “selective” and “motivated,” targeting an opposition leader from a lower caste while “many upper-caste individuals continue to occupy government bungalows.”

“I tried contacting (Union minister) Manohar Lal Khattar, but he could not be reached. No higher official is available on call. Nobody is telling me anything,” Raj was quoted as saying by PTI.

Sharing a video on X, Raj wrote, “My household items are being thrown onto the street.”

Udit Raj, who represented North West Delhi in the Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019 as a BJP MP before joining the Congress, said he was “willing to vacate” soon but questioned the “hurry” shown by the authorities.

“Why is the same yardstick not applied to others who are overstaying? I will not budge from my fight for social justice,” he said.