These days some of the former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers are adopting every strategy to save their official bungalows, after a Supreme Court order has asked them to vacate it soon. The UP estate department has already served them notices to vacate the bungalows within a fortnight.
In an attempt to save her official bungalow at 13 Mall Avenue, former chief minister Mayawati has turned it into a memorial. A name board, which reads Kanshiramji Yadgar Vishram Sthal, was put up by the BSP in front of the building on Monday. The party claims that the official residence allotted to Mayawati was, in fact, a memorial of the BSP icon, late Kanshi Ram, and it can not be used for any other official purposes.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has urged the estate department to give him two-year time to vacate his official residence. The reason he cited was his Z-plus security and a large number of people visiting him.
There are six former chief ministers who were affected by the apex court order. Among them, Rajnath Singh and Kalyan Singh have already decided to vacate their official residences, while Mulayam Singh is searching for a house for himself. Congress veteran N.D. Tiwari has yet to take a decision in this connection. All these former chief ministers, except Akhilesh Yadav, have been retaining their government bungalows for the past many years.
The top court order that the former chief ministers are not entitled to government bungalows came on a petition filed by Lok Praheri, an NGO.
There are nearly 27 government properties which have been occupied by politicians and others in the name of memorials or Trusts. These include Joint Employees Federation, Kayasth Mahasabha, Journalist Association and Yudog Vypaar Mandal.