Aam Aadmi Party MLA and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party to present evidence of alleged luxury facilities at the former Chief Minister’s residence at 6 Flagstaff Road ahead of an inspection by the Delhi Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee on September 14.
Atishi accused the BJP of repeatedly making unsubstantiated claims about a luxurious swimming pool, gold and silver toilets, and a large bar existing within the residence while the AAP government was in power.
In a video statement, Atishi said: “The BJP repeatedly lied about that Chief Minister’s residence and spread false information. BJP leaders said that there was a huge, luxurious swimming pool inside the Chief Minister’s residence. They said there were gold and silver toilets inside the residence. They said there was a large bar inside the Chief Minister’s residence. They kept telling and repeating these lies again and again.”
She recalled that the AAP had previously invited the BJP to visit the premises accompanied by media and cameras to verify these claims, but alleged that BJP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjay Singh were denied entry by police.
Atishi welcomed the decision of Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta and BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar to inspect the premises through the Public Accounts Committee, stating: “The day after tomorrow, on the afternoon of September 14, the Delhi Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee is going to inspect 6 Flagstaff Road. I am very happy. I am happy because finally, the BJP has shown the courage to reveal the truth.”
She further challenged BJP MLAs to conduct an inspection with cameras and show the people of Delhi the locations of the alleged pool, gold and silver toilets, and large bar.
Additionally, Atishi called for a similar camera-equipped inspection of the Prime Minister’s residence, alleging that significant funds had been spent on its construction despite widespread shortages of basic amenities such as food, water, roads, schools, and hospitals.
She said: “Just as the inspection of 6 Flagstaff Road is being carried out with cameras, you should also get the Prime Minister’s residence inspected in the same manner. Let the entire country see how, by spending lakhs and crores of rupees, when people in the country do not have food, water, roads, schools or hospitals, lakhs of crores of rupees have been spent on building the Prime Minister’s residence.”
The controversy, known as the “Sheesh Mahal” issue, arose last year following BJP allegations of excessive expenditure on renovations and luxury additions at the 6 Flagstaff Road bungalow during Arvind Kejriwal’s tenure as Chief Minister.