After LS eviction notice, Rahul Gandhi to vacate official bungalow 'without prejudice'

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, saying "without prejudice to his rights", he will abide by the details of their letter on the vacation of his official bungalow following his disqualification from the Lower House of Parliament.

Gandhi was on Monday served a notice to vacate the government bungalow allotted to him by April 22 following his disqualification as a member of the Lok Sabha after his conviction in a defamation case last week, official sources said.

The Housing Committee of the Lok Sabha took the decision following which the secretariat of the House wrote to the former Congress president, a Z-plus protectee who has been living in the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow since 2005.

Thanking the Secretariat for their letter of March 27, 2023, regarding the cancellation of his accommodation at 12 Tughlak Lane, Gandhi said, "As an elected member of the Lok Sabha over the last four terms, it is the mandate of the people to which I owe the happy memories of my time spent here."

"Without prejudice to my rights, I will, of course, abide by the details contained in your letter," he said in his letter to the MS branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat which had sent him the notice.

The Housing Committee of the Lok Sabha took the decision following which the secretariat of the House served the notice on the former Congress president, a Z-plus protectee who has been living in the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow since 2005.

A local court in Gujarat had convicted Gandhi in a criminal defamation case on March 23 and sentenced him to two years in jail. The two-year jail term triggered his disqualification as a Lok Sabha member from the date of the verdict. Gandhi was granted bail to allow him to appeal to a higher court in a month.

A senior official said a Member of Parliament (MP) has to vacate the official bungalow within one month of losing his membership.

Kharge slams Centre

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday slammed the Centre over Rahul Gandhi being asked to vacate his official bungalow, saying that he condemns the government's attitude to "threaten, scare and humiliate" the former party chief.

He also said that Gandhi could go and live with his mother Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence or he could himself provide a house by vacating one for the Gandhi scion.

"They will do everything to weaken him (Rahul Gandhi). He can go live with his mother or he can come to me, I will vacate one for him. I condemn this attitude of the government to threaten, scare and humiliate," Kharge told reporters before leaving for Parliament.

"In democracy, several times we have managed without a house for three-four months. I got this bungalow after six months. People do these things to humiliate others. I condemn this attitude," the Congress president said.

ALSO READ | Petty politics of petty men: Sibal slams govt after Rahul asked to vacate bungalow