In another case of embarrassment for the Congress party, as per information ascertained under RTI, several properties occupied by Congress leaders, including party supremo President Sonia Gandhi, have not been paid.
The RTI was filed by activist Sujit Patel and it revealed how the Congress owes rent of several of its properties.
According to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, there has been pending rent against Congress party headquarters on Akbar Road of ₹ 12,69,902 and the last time that the rent was paid was in December 2012
Similarly, Sonia Gandhi’s plush residence on 10 Janpath Road, there is a pending rent of ₹4,610 and the last rent received was in September 2020.
As per the housing rules which allow accommodation to national and state political parties every party is given three years’ time to construct their own office following which the government bungalow will have to be vacated.
The Congress was allotted land in June 2010 on 9-A Rouse Avenue to build a party office and the Congress party was required to vacate the Akbar Road office, however, it has taken multiple extensions so far.
In July 2020, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is the Congress general secretary was sent an eviction notice to vacate her Lodhi Road accommodation within a months’ time.
Taking a dig at Sonia Gandhi, BJP’s Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga alleged that she is not able to pay rent because she can’t do scams.
“Sonia Gandhi ji not able to pay her rent after losing elections. It is obvious because she can’t do scams now but political differences aside I want to help her as a human being. I launched a campaign #SoniaGandhiReliefFund and sent ₹10 to her account, I request everyone to help her,” he said in a tweet.
Mr Bagga also shared a screenshot of money transferred by him to the account of the Congress interim chief.
Dear @RahulGandhi tell ur mumma to pay for rentals of the house she is using. Alternatively, @TajinderBagga bhai can raise this money by selling T shirts with “Donate to fund rentals of Sonia home” written on it via @TShirtBhaiya – wud u let him know please? pic.twitter.com/YslhnGBxG7
— Alok Bhatt (@alok_bhatt) February 10, 2022
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