The ‘other’ battle over land between the Congress and the BJP is being fought in the heart of Lutyens Delhi, with the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee set to hear on June 9 a notice moved against the government by Congress MPs Ambika Soni and Kumari Selja.
This comes in the wake of the Urban Development Ministry writing to the two former Ministers, saying they were currently in “unauthorised” occupation of the Type VIII government bungalows — 22 Akbar Road (Ms. Soni) and 7 Motilal Nehru Marg (Ms. Selja) — as they are no longer Ministers.
On the other hand, they contend that after they demitted office as Ministers, the Ministry had written to the Rajya Sabha, saying the two bungalows should be transferred to the Rajya Sabha pool for the length of their tenures in the Upper House and considered “regular” accommodation, after which they would go back to the general pool. Therefore, the Ministry’s notice constituted a “breach of privilege” of their rights.
For the government, this tussle could prove embarrassing as the Opposition has an edge in the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee, and the Congress, not just the MPs concerned, considers this a matter of prestige.
Indeed, when the privilege notice was submitted, the two MPs had met Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari and Deputy Chairman P. J. Kurien. They were accompanied by a Congress delegation, headed by Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The 10-member committee, which has one vacancy, is headed by Mr. Kurien (Congress). Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday suspended the eviction orders issued to Ms. Soni and Ms. Selja to vacate their government bungalows by June 10. Justice Mukta Gupta also issued notice to the Union government and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat asking for a reply by July 2 on the MPs’ plea challenging the eviction orders.
