DNA:
New Delhi: Monday, 22 December 2014.
Congress and
National Conference (NC) may have contested against each other in Jammu and
Kashmir, but their leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar Abdullah are united in
destroying a historic relic in Delhi for want of their love for a bungalow in
Lutyen's zone.
Though chief
ministers are not entitled to retain an official bungalow in Delhi, Omar and
his wife Payal have been occupying the 7-Akbar Road house that was allotted to
Azad. RTI replies to an application filed by dna reveal that they are living as
guests of Azad, former union minister and now leader of Opposition in Rajya
Sabha.
So where is
Azad living now? The former minister now lives at 5-South Avenue lane, the
property leased out to J&K government in 2006, immediately after he became
chief minister in exchange of 4- Kotla Lane house, a historic relic, where
Sheikh Abdullah had lived as prisoner from 1965 to 1968. Sheikh Abdullah
continued to live in that house till 1975, when he became the chief minister of
J&K and shifted to Kashmir.Late prime minister I K Gujral in 1996 had
suggested to rename Kotla lane as Sher-e-Kashmir road and convert the house
into a museum for Kashmir's history, art and culture.
But Azad, who
was then to vacate South Avenue bungalow on becoming CM of J&K, lobbied
that instead of Kotla Lane bungalow, the South Avenue bungalow be transferred
to J&K government. Since then Azad has been occupying the house. The Kotla
Road bungalow was later demolished to create a parking lot for the offices in
the area.
The RTI reply
received from the office of J&K resident commissioner on 5 South Avenue
Road in Delhi reads, "The property in question is occupied by Sh Ghulam
Nabi Azad, the then chief minister, Jammu and Kashmir state who continues to
retain the property in question till date in his capacity as hon'ble member and
leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha)."From Directorate of Estates, Azad had
received 7 Akbar Road bungalow as a minister in UPA government. Abdullah in the
month of May this year had tweeted, "7 Akbar rd is allotted to Ghulam Nabi
Azad. In his capacity as union minister & the JK CM has a bungalow on South
Avenue Lane. We have swapped occupancy for our convenience. His has been since
2009 & so neither of us is over staying or violating any guidelines
regarding our accommodation."Another reply to the RTI query filed by dna
has nailed Omar's claim. In records of estate office, 7-Akbar road is the
residence of Azad. RTI reply received on July 22 reads, "The bungalow no.
7- Akbar Road has not been swapped in lieu of 5- South Avenue lane house."
The love for staying in the plush bungalow in Lutyen's Bungalow Zone made both
Omar and Azad pave way for this historical relic to die. In return, both
leaders managed to secure a bungalow for themselves in Delhi.National
Conference leaders who dna tried to contact stayed away from commenting on the
issue. However, Azad's office clarified that Sheikh Abdullah himself wanted to
vacate the house if the state was given a suitable exchange.Azad's office also
said that following the union government's decision to take over 4-Kotla Lane
building, then chief minister G N Azad had given his consents after ensuring
that state government would be given more residential kothis in exchange.
"The state got residential space several times more in real estate
value," clarifies his office.
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