A day after Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was asked to vacate her government accommodation in Lutyens Delhi, the Congress General Secretary Incharge of East UP Priyanka Gandhi has cleared her pending dues for the government accommodation at 35, Lodhi Estate in Delhi.
According to the reports, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has made online payment of balance amount due towards rent for the 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow which she had occupied for the last 23 years.
“Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has made online payment of balance amount due on her. Hence, now dues as on 30.06.2020 is nil against her,” a spokesperson from the ministry said.
According to the reports, Gandhi had dues of Rs 3,46,677 as on June 30, for which she was issued a notice to clear this due amount. Mrs Vadra had not paid rent for her govt house for almost a year.
Priyanka Gandhi asked to vacate Lutyens Bungalow
On Wednesday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was asked to vacate her government accommodation at 35, Lodhi Estate, which she was continuing to live in despite removal of SPG cover in November last year.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was served a notice to vacate her bungalow provided by the Government of India. She was allocated the bungalow because she was an SPG protectee. In a letter served to her, the Gandhi scion has been given a month time to vacate the bungalow which she has been occupying for the last 23 years as part of the entitlement which came to her along with her maiden name.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra continued to stay in govt accommodation despite removal of SPG cover
Last year in November, the SPG cover provided to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was withdrawn and replaced by CRPF security. And since then, almost 8 months have passed, but she has continued to stay in the government bungalow.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a private citizen, was allotted the Type VI bungalow in February 1997 on the recommendation of the SPG, home ministry and cabinet secretariat. The Gandhi-scion had continued to stay in the government bungalow even though she was neither a public servant nor a government official or a member of parliament or assembly. She was granted the house only on the basis of her SPG protected status.
The Gandhi scion convinced Vajpayee govt to reduce her monthly rent
In 2002, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee led BJP government was at the helm of affairs, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had managed to retain her accommodation. It was reported how she had convinced the Vajpayee government to reduce the monthly rent for her 2,765.18 sqm house in Lutyens’ Delhi from Rs 53,421 to only Rs 8,888, a whopping 83% reduction.
When the house was originally granted to Priyanka Vadra in 1997, its rent was Rs 19,900 per month, as per the market rate at this time. The rate was gradually increased, but Vadra managed to slash the rate citing her inability to pay, and also by arguing that she was not using the whole bungalow, as parts of it were occupied by SPG.
