On Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bhardwaj were denied entry to the former official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at 6 Flagstaff Road. The leaders had announced plans to inspect the property following allegations by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of extravagant renovations, including claims of a “golden commode,” swimming pool, and mini bar.
Upon arrival, Singh and Bhardwaj found the premises heavily barricaded and were informed by Public Works Department (PWD) and police officials that orders from higher authorities prohibited their entry. In response, the two leaders staged a sit-in protest outside the bungalow, challenging the BJP’s allegations and questioning the restrictions imposed on their visit.
Sanjay Singh criticized the BJP’s claims, stating, “For months, BJP leaders have been shouting that there is a golden toilet, swimming pool, and mini bar in the chief minister’s residence. Today, I brought you (the media) here, but they have deployed water cannons and police here. Are we terrorists?”
Saurabh Bhardwaj added, “Every day, the BJP was releasing videos and photos of the residence. Now, we have brought the media to visit the residence, but they are not allowing us to enter. They have set up three layers of barricades to prevent our entry. If they allowed us, we would reveal the truth. We wanted to see where the golden toilets and swimming pool are.”
The controversy surrounding the bungalow intensified after the BJP accused Kejriwal of spending approximately Rs.45 crore on its renovation, labeling it a “Sheesh Mahal” and criticizing the expenditure as an excessive display of luxury.
In defense, the AAP invited media personnel to tour the residence to counter the BJP’s allegations and challenged the BJP to allow a similar media inspection of the Prime Minister’s official residence, which they referred to as a “Raj Mahal,” claiming it cost Rs.2,700 crore to build.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva has centered the party’s assembly campaign around allegations that valuable items, including the “golden commode,” disappeared when Kejriwal vacated the property.
The situation remains tense as both parties continue to exchange accusations over the alleged misuse of public funds for personal luxuries.
