‘Sheesh Mahal’: AAP brings media on tour of Delhi CM’s residence

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday, 8 January, said Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj would accompany the media on a tour of the chief minister's residence, which the BJP claims was turned into a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ during Arvind Kejriwal’s tenure.

Singh and Bharadwaj told reporters at a press conference that they would also take reporters to the prime minister's residence, which the AAP has dubbed ‘Raj Mahal’, claiming it was built at a cost of Rs 2,700 crore.

The ‘Raj Mahal’ jibe is based on AAP’s counter-allegation that prime minister Narendra Modi is the one with the astoundingly luxurious lifestyle — and the one with a new prime ministerial residence, originally valued at Rs 467 crore at the time of tendering in 2022, with an underground tunnel taking him directly to the PMO.

RTI activists’ attempts to uncover the actual costs associated with the 7 Lok Kalyan Marg official residence of the Prime Minister of India failed — apparently even disclosing the cost of civil, plumbing and electrical works undertaken could expose the PM to danger.

"As promised, we will visit the chief minister's official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road at 11 a.m. and try to find the golden commode, swimming pool and mini bar that the BJP claims are present there," Bharadwaj said.

"It should be noted that both these properties are government residences. They were built with taxpayers' money and came up during the Covid pandemic. If there are allegations of misappropriation of funds, both should be investigated," he added.

The 6 Flagstaff Road bungalow has sparked controversy over alleged irregularities in its renovation and costly fittings and household goods present in it.

The BJP has focussed a big part of its assembly election campaign around these allegations, dubbing the bungalow ‘Sheesh Mahal’.

The saffron party’s Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva has claimed that valuable items, including a "golden commode", were missing after the bungalow was vacated by Kejriwal.

On Tuesday, 7 January, the AAP challenged the BJP to open up the prime minister's residence for a media visit to reveal its reality, while also offering to take reporters on a tour of the chief minister’s residence.

Meanwhile, the promised media tour of the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ was attempted — and the attempt seemingly thwarted by security at the CM's bungalow.

Asked if they had sought permission to visit the residence, Singh and Bharadwaj told reporters, "Why should we need permission to enter the chief minister's residence?"

They were seen speaking to officials at the bungalow, requesting permission to be allowed inside.

"Who has instructed you to stop us? I am a minister and I am here for an inspection. How can you stop me and on whose orders? Have you received directions from the lieutenant governor? He is the only authority above my position," Bharadwaj was heard telling an official.

It has been difficult for the media to establish as well how the BJP manages to retrieve images and videos of this closely guarded residence.

With PTI inputs