New board at Mayawati's official bungalow declares it as 'Sri Kanshiram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal'

Press Trust of India  |  Lucknow 

As makes preparations to shift to a new house in the wake of a order asking former chief ministers to vacate their official accommodations, a board today came up on the government bungalow which the currently occupies, declaring it as Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal.

This morning, however , the party got a new board on the 13-declaring it 'ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal' (ji memorial rest house). The board also carries a picture of BSP ideologue Kanshiram.

Explaining reasons behind the new board, a senior BSP functionary said the bungalow has been associated with party founder Kanshiram in several ways. He claimed it was allotted in the name of Kanshiram and that is why the board has been put up.

However, when contacted, a in the said, "As per our knowledge, the bungalow was allotted to in her capacity as a former CM. But since a board has come up there in the name of Kanshiramji, we will look into our records."

The had on May 7 said former chief ministers of cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office, observing that a CM was at par with a common man once his or her term ends.

Following the order, the government on May 17 issued notices to six former state CMs to vacate official bungalows. The notices sent by the has asked the former chief ministers to vacate the bungalows in 15 days, a said.

Those served notices included Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, and

"The (Mayawati) will vacate the government accommodation well before the 15 days given by the state's Estate Department," the BSP functionary added.

Former UP Rajnath Singh, currently the Union Home Minister, has made the first move to shift to his private house in the Gomti Nagar area, the other former CM has sought more time for vacating the government accommodation.

Through a letter sent to the state's Estate Officer, has sought permission for staying in the allotted premises for another two years.

Akhilesh has said he does not have any other suitable residential premises at to stay in with his kind of security cover.

All these former currently occupy prime government properties in the high-security VVIP zone in the state capital.

The was hearing a petition filed by NGO Lok Prahari, challenging the amendments made by the erstwhile to the UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981 which entitled former chief ministers to retain government bungalows for a lifetime.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, May 21 2018. 18:00 IST