Ashok Gehlot not homesick, seeks status

The office of former ex-chief minister Ashok Gehlot has shot a letter to General Administrative Department (GAD) seeking guidance over the status of his allotted bungalow in the light of the Supreme Court order issued on Monday. 

The Apex court cancelled changes to the law that enabled former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh to live in official homes for life and in its order said that bungalows are a public property that belongs to the people of the country. The letter written by Gehlot’s private secretary and RAS officer Devaram Saini asked the GAD to issue instructions over the status of the bungalow which was allotted to him in the Civil Lines area as per the laws.

On the other hand, BJP MLA from Sanganer has launched offensive against Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje. In a statement issued in Jaipur on Monday, Ghanshyam Tiwari questioned the rationale of chief minister staying in house number 13 in Civil Lines; one that was allotted to her when she stepped down from the post of chief minister in 2008.

He said that the Supreme Court has observed it is a matter applicable to all states and therefore, chief minister Raje should immediately vacate the said bungalow and return to the official residence 8 Civil Lines.

The senior legislator of the ruling party alleged that teh state government had passed the Rajasthan Ministers Salaries (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the state assembly on April 26, 2017, to clear the way for Raje to stay in the bungalow number 13 in Civil Lines area of Jaipur. The Bill gave all former chief ministers the right to facilities equivalent to cabinet ministers as long as they lived.

On Monday, the Supreme Court said, a CM is no different from a common man once his or her term ends and cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office.

TAKING THE AIM

• Not the one to miss an opportunity, Gehlot immediately decided to get the General Adminsitration Department’s view on whether he is eligible for the official residence allotted to him as ex-CM in Civil Lines. 
   
• BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari, one the other hand, alleged the chief minister should vacate the current bungalow in which is residing and step inside the official residence 8 Civil lines. Incidentally, the BJP MLA had opposed the Bill in the assembly.