The BJP has gained new leverage in the ongoing Sheesh Mahal controversy after a recent audit by the central government uncovered several legal breaches. The audit which scrutinized the case found that multiple laws were violated providing the BJP with fresh material to target opposition figures.
The audit findings have sparked renewed political debate with BJP leaders calling for immediate action and legal consequences. The new revelations are set to further fuel the political battle potentially amplifying the scrutiny of those involved and escalating tensions between the ruling party and its opponents.
Delhi BJP Chief Claims Actual Renovation Cost Far Exceeds Rs.33.66/- Crore
Speaking to the media today Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva stated that the reported figure of Rs.33.66/- crore for the renovation was just figure and that the true cost of the renovation was significantly higher. Sachdeva comments raised questions about the transparency and actual expenditure involved in the project fueling further debate and scrutiny.
BJP targets Arvind Kejriwal over Sheesh Mahal Renovation Following CAG Report
New Delhi:
A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the renovation expenses of the Delhi Chief Minister residence has provided the BJP with new ammunition to target the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leader Arvind Kejriwal especially as the national capital prepares for upcoming Assembly elections.
According to the CAG report the initial estimate for the renovation was Rs.7.91/- crore. However when the project was awarded in 2020 the cost rose to Rs.8.62/- crore. By the time the Public Works Department (PWD) completed the work in 2022 the final cost had skyrocketed to Rs.33.66/- crore.
The report as per the Indian Express was signed off by former CAG Girish Chandra Murmu just week before his retirement in November.
Speaking to the media Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva claimed that the reported Rs.33.66/- crore was just symbolic figure and that the actual cost was likely much higher. He suggested that a thorough examination of various departmental accounts along with the PWD inventory from October 11 2024 would reveal that the Sheesh Mahal was constructed and decorated at a cost closer to Rs.75/- to 80/- crore.
The BJP has repeatedly used the term Sheesh Mahal to describe the newly renovated Chief Minister bungalow. The opposition party has accused Kejriwal and AAP of engaging in large scale corruption during the renovation charge that AAP has strongly denied.
The CAG report raised several concerns including the doubtful selection of consultants, frequent revisions of estimates and the inclusion of higher specification items that had not been approved. The report also questioned the PWD tendering process for selecting contractors for the renovation project.
The first clear takeaway from the CAG report is that under Arvind Kejriwal government the PWD did not function as government agency but as personal tool for the Chief Minister said Sachdeva.
He further criticized the process stating the way PWD officials flouted every rule and regulation to build this Sheesh Mahal points to case of corruption where there must have been give and take situation. The Chief Minister and the concerned ministers must have turned a blind eye to the corrupt practices by officials.
The BJP also highlighted that PWD declared the renovation an emergency project and issued work order on September 1 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were struggling with basic needs like oxygen and medicines. This the BJP argued raised questions about the urgency of the project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi referring to the CAG report remarked while Delhi residents were fighting COVID searching for oxygen and medicines the AAP government priority was building the Sheesh Mahal.
In response Kejriwal dismissed the criticism targeting the Prime Minister for his lavish lifestyle. The man who lives in Rs.2700/- crore house travels in an Rs.8400/- crore plane and wears a Rs.10/- lakh suit has no right to comment on the Sheesh Mahal Kejriwal retorted.
Kejriwal who has vacated the bungalow after stepping down as Chief Minister stated that he would return to the position only after the people verdict in the upcoming Assembly elections in February.
