JAIPUR: The controversy surrounding former CM Vasundhara Raje vacating her government bungalow refuses to end.
After much-delay, the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan has told the High Court that former CM Jagganath Pahadiya vacated bungalow number 5 on 21 January but former CM Vasudhara Raje is entitled to stay in the bungalow as she still remains an MLA.
The Chief Secretary (CS) presented this reply against the contempt petition of Milapchand Dandia.
However, the petitioner's advocate pointed out that Raje is living in the bungalow meant for a cabinet minister and allowing her to stay in the same house amounts to a violation of court order. It also reflects that Raje is being given special treatment by the Gehlot government.
The CS says that in compliance with the order of the High Court on September 7, 2019.
All the facilities given to both ex CMs under Section 7BB and 11 of the Rajasthan Minister Pay Act have been withdrawn free of charge, so the contempt petition should be canceled.
It has also been told that in adherence to the order of the High Court on September 9, 2019, the staff given to Vasundhara Raje has been removed. Both Pahadia and Raje have returned the official vehicle, driver and staff on January 19.
After the hearing, advocate Vimal Chaudhary, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, told the media that the reply given by the State government shows that they had given notices to former CM Jagannath Pahadia to vacate the bungalow but not to Vasundhara Raje. He questioned as to why the state government discriminated between the two?
"On 13 December 2018, the state government again allotted bungalow number 13 to Vasundhara Raje, but for allotment of bungalows to former CMs, there is no provision, nor any article.
"Unless the State government rules Vasundhara Raje's bungalow number 13 as MLA bungalow, they will continue to defy the court order", Chaudhary said.
According to him, the state government, in its reply, has concealed the fact that it has neither obtained an application to be allocated a bungalow from Vasundhara Raje nor has the state government ordered the allotment of the bungalow.
"It is not clear under which policy was the house allotted to Vasundhara Raje? Under this logic every minister of the previous government should have the right to occupy their old bungalow and the Ministers in the State government should be sent back to their old houses", Chaudhary added.
On behalf of the petitioner Milapchand Dandia, Advocates Vimal Chaudhary and Yogash Taylor sought time to file their reply, while Justice Sabina and Justice NS Dadh fixed the hearing for 20 April.
The High Court had earlier termed the provision of giving free lifelong government bungalow, staff and car to former CM under the 'Rajasthan Ministers' Salaries (Amendment) Act 2017' as "illegal" and "unconstitutional".