"Vindictive attitude": Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi slams BJP over Raghav Chadha bungalow order

Priyanka Chaturvedi. File Pic

Amid a Delhi court order, directing suspended AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha to vacate his bungalow, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday came down heavily on the BJP-led Centre over the allotment of government properties to Parliamentarians saying if records are checked, it will be found that the bungalows are often allotted "out of term", reported news agency ANI.

Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged further that the singling out or targeting of a particular Opposition leader shows the "vindictive attitude" of the ruling party, reported ANI.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Chaturvedi said, "If government records are properly examined, it will be found these government bungalows are often allotted out of term. Many people get to move into such properties despite not being entitled to them. The targeting of one person shows the vindictive attitude of the ruling party."

In a setback for the AAP Rajya Sabha MP, a Delhi court ruled that he could no longer stay in the government bungalow as its allotment had been cancelled. The court lifted its earlier stay on an order for Chadha to vacate the sprawling Lutyen's property.

"It is unprecedented in the more than 70 years of history of the Rajya Sabha that a sitting member has been asked to vacate his duly allotted accommodation where he has been residing for a while and more than 4 years of his tenure as a Parliamentarian are still remaining," Chadha said, reported ANI.

Claiming many irregularities in the order, he claimed that the subsequent steps taken by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat were in "clear contravention of rules and regulations".

"The manner of the entire exercise leaves me with no option but to believe that these have been carried out at the dictates of the BJP to further their political motives and vested interests in order to scuttle and stifle the political criticism raised by the vocal parliamentarians like myself," he added.

The AAP MP noted that the allotment of the said accommodation was done by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha himself, after taking into consideration all the factors peculiar to him, reported ANI.

Chadha added that cancelling the accommodation subsequently "without any cause or reason" signals that the "entire suo moto exercise was undertaken to wrongfully target and victimize him, reported ANI.

"This along with my suspension as a Member of Parliament, which was initiated by the treasury benches, leaves no doubt that the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to target vocal members of Parliament. This amounts to unwarranted interference in the due discharge of their functions as the Representatives of the House and hits a rock bottom of vendetta politics," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)